


Memoirs of a Miko

by PurdyBaby



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-07-11 11:22:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 67
Words: 157,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19927264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurdyBaby/pseuds/PurdyBaby
Summary: Kagome is sold into a life of slavery and gifted to Inuyasha as a present by his brother. Will she be able to move on with her life and find happiness or will it all become too much to bear?





	1. The Holy Trinity

**Author's Note:**

> Originally Posted on Fanfiction.Net (Up to Chapter 61) - Would not allow me to import the whole story.

Fear. Anger. Control. The holy trinity timeless as the world itself. Indeed, it has never been power that bewitched the mind, but fear. Fear, after all, only lives in a man's thoughts and many a man has fallen prey to the fear of the unknown. Nothing is more terrifying than realizing the world is ruled by the forces of chance and circumstance. That knowledge above all others strikes fear into the hearts of men and they desperately try to claw back their power through any means necessary even at the cost of everything they hold dear.

Kagome's fear was never having a choice in life and her anger was due to the fact that her fear was completely justified. Unlike so many others, however, she kept her righteous anger from the world as she hid behind the false smile, permanently plastered on her face. Smiling as she tried to find meaning by helping others. Smiling while being kind even when kindness was undeserved. Smiling while hiding her anger behind sarcasm and humor. Smiling as the world crumbled to dust around her. Smiling despite her life not being her own.

Her Father was motivated by fear of poverty. Like Kagome, his fear was also justified, as a life of utter destitution was the only life he had ever known. Also like Kagome, his fear led to anger. He took his anger primarily out on her mother. It wasn't uncommon to see her sporting a fresh black eye or to learn she'd broken yet another bone. As if the physical beatings weren't enough, he controlled every aspect of her life. Heaven forbid she buy anything or not complete the chore of dinner before the sun had set.

Recently, Father had taken to controlling his children as well and had summoned them home from the Temple where she had been training to become a miko. The temple where she had formerly trained was ancient - sitting high and pretty with its jade and gold encrusted turrets atop that ocean-side cliff. Hidden from sight by powerful barriers. One could easily spot the Village that was home in the far distance - the look of sheer poverty somehow more striking when one could see glittering cities alongside it. It was a slum to use the vulgar vernacular. A slum of uneducated fisherman and freedmen without enough money to venture beyond the confines of their figurative prison. Mired in this pit of despair, Father sold them out as brides to the highest bidder, partially out of desperation but mostly out of indifference.

It was their fault the world was going to hell in a handbasket. That the Village was so desperately destitute. Not the villagers but the Royal Fortress to the East. The demons to the East controlled the world with an iron fist and fear was the fuel on which the empire ran. Like so many before them, they were of the opinion that it was better to be feared than loved. An amalgamation of animal and man they came in many shapes and forms but one belief above all others united them. They believed themselves to be gods over men.

On orders of these demons, human women were routinely snatched from their homes to become part of their harem. Those overlords weren't picky as they targeted the rich and poor alike. Anyone they deemed a threat were burned alive in public displays - their carcasses left for months on end as a visible warning to anyone who defied them. In retaliation for protests against these callous actions, the demon overlords used every weapon in their arsenal. Withholding provisions, stifling trade and massacring thousands right and left. That ominous fortress to the East and those who lived there used fear to control the world so that angry citizens wouldn't take their power away.

A thousand years ago or perhaps even before, the demons were seen as more animal than human, barbarians that lived on the edges of civilization. They kept to themselves as did the humans and neither cared to interact. Then, supposedly, a god appeared and everyone began working together to create a new world. A better world.

Trade flourished. Harvest was plentiful. The world was a thriving and prosperous kingdom. Now that centuries old prejudice was back full force creating the division once more. Humans were now seen as the barbarians and thus punished for the sin of existing. The once revered spiritual men and women lived in hiding. Their days filled with training the younger generations for the inevitable war on the horizon while the rest of the world went to the dogs. Children starved in their beds because there wasn't enough food to go around, and an almost palpable fear permeated every aspect of every citizen's lives. The men at least could complain! Even amongst miko, women were expected to follow orders, not to give them. The expectation of women was to follow the example of their ancestors, tend to hearth and home, and above all else, with the gods' blessing, to be a vessel for breeding masculine children. Women weren't allowed to have an opinion, so Kagome suffered in silence.

Ever since she had been summoned home, though Kagome was mostly forced to sit around idly with her miserable, and increasingly morose family, there was one person who could provide brief moments of contentment. One ray of sunshine that pierced the ubiquitous gloom hanging over the highly dysfunctional family. It was her sister Kikyo. She was older than Kagome by several years yet still too young to be roped into the arranged marriage their father had contracted for them. Not by societal standards – just in Kagome's own personal opinion.

Apparently a set of twin brothers were seeking a matching set of women. Despite not being true twins, the sisters were nearly identical in both looks and matching blue eyes, sleek ebony hair and flawless porcelain skin were truly a thing to behold. They were both slight of build, and rather short compared to other women in the village. It was like looking in a mirror…of course, mirrors were prohibitively expensive, so they had only ever seen their reflections in the sea or in a pot of water beginning to boil. But their Mother always like to joke that she never knew which one she was getting ready for a whipping until the deed was about to be done and Kagome's birthmark on the back of her leg was exposed. Despite these similarities, they were very different people. Night and day. Oil and water.

Kagome was as wild and unbroken as any stallion but also kind, gentle and forgiving to a fault. Many villagers were of the opinion that whomever tamed her would need to be an extraordinary gentleman. Kikyo, on the other hand, was of the opinion that the perfect partner for her beloved sister would be a man who could accept that such a spirit shouldn't and most likely would never be broken.

Kikyo was quiet, demure and would make an excellent wife. Until you didn't follow the rules of course. Everything was about rules. She didn't care for romance only stability and structure. She craved it like she craved air and water. Yes, rules were her religion, her law and she worshipped them with utter devotion. When she was younger, she often would bawl hysterically when her little sister didn't follow the rules. Rules as asinine and harmless as wearing shoes inside their humble abode - that had dirt floor, by the way, same as outside - or sneaking a tiny morsel of fresh bread from the hearth without permission. Rules were the law. They were made for a reason. Even if it was a stupid one.

Still, despite their differences, the sisters were relieved that wherever they were being sent, they were being sent together. Small comfort though that may be. Traditionally, mikos weren't supposed to marry or bear children. Which always seemed odd to Kagome as often times villagers would bemoan the fact that spiritual men and women weren't as common as they once were. They blamed the decline on the young men and women not being as chaste and pure as they had been in the past. It never seemed to occur to anyone that perhaps it was the ban on breeding that was preventing an influx of new babies with these powers. Which was a family trait. Passed down from one generation to the next. Naturally, it couldn't possibly be due to the fact that they weren't breeding any longer. Despite all reason, however, fear of losing their precious mikos and priests that had protected humanity were now prohibited from doing the very thing that provided for future generations. Most citizens aggressively fought for measures to safeguard their saviors' sacred virginity. Such things were tradition after all! Still, despite tradition, the two sisters trained in that noble art were to be wed and forced to bear children by men they'd never met. Same as their mother before them and that, in itself, wasn't exactly a comforting thought.

Given her recent lot in life, today Kagome had decided to try to forget the world and its problems. She wandered off by herself to her own personal sanctuary. Sitting with her bare feet buried in the sand and sighing as she looked out on the remote alcove she had frequented lately to escape from her suffocating home. There was something comforting in the tips of shells peek from holes made by little creatures seeking shelter. Those small dunes of grimy grey sand soon to be soaked by the sea gradually creeping its way further onto shore were so beautiful in her eyes. The white ribbon of cliffs and rocks protected her from reality. A small piece of heaven in hell. Closing her sapphire eyes, she invited in the quiet whisper of waves and enjoyed the light kisses from the occasional breeze that sent tingling sensations through her body.

"I knew I'd find you here. Father told me to stop packing for the journey tomorrow," came a weary resigned breathy voice from directly behind her – causing her to jump involuntarily as she whipped her head around to see the intruder on her solitude. With an air of grace that her sister could never hope to achieve, Kikyo sat down on the cold, damp sand and pulled her knees tightly against her chest as she continued, "Apparently, wherever they're sending us will have new clothes custom ordered for us. Anything we own would be inappropriate attire."

"I don't understand how Father got in contact with these people. He won't even give us their names or the city they live in," Kagome chuckled darkly as she pulled the soft grey shawl a little tighter around her shoulders and adjusted herself to face her sister rather than the seashore, "To be honest, I doubt anyone is coming at all."

"I wouldn't say that," Kikyo chided gently as she rested her chin atop her knees, "Did you see that man who arrived earlier? With that wooden crate? Apparently, Sota looked inside and it's filled to the brim with gold coins. It has to be the dowry. I'm sure of it."

"Well I don't like the idea of being sold," Kagome huffed in frustration as she began angrily stuffing the loose ebony strands that had fallen out of her long intricate braid back in their proper places, "I'd very much prefer if I could fall in love. Instead, I'm being shipped off to marry some stranger I've never laid eyes on. I go from one terrible life to the next without ever having a say in the matter."

"We're not being sold, Kagome. Don't think of it that way. It's just...well, women don't get to choose who or when they marry. Not here," Kikyo sighed as she shrugged indifferently, "If we hadn't been in training, we'd've been married off years ago. We're fortunate anyone still wants to marry us at all."

"We're not that old. I'm fifteen," Kagome groaned as she flopped down onto the sand - much to her sister's horror - and began making sand angels, "We still have our whole lives ahead of us. So what if most women here get married at fourteen? What's a few years compared to a lifetime?"

"Well bearing children is a factor," Kikyo mused as her lips twitched upwards at her sister's childish antics, "They'll expect at least three I imagine."

"Lovely," Kagome scoffed bitterly as she ceased her playful movements and lay her hands palm upwards on the sand, "Why not just assume ten or twelve? I'll just pop out one baby a year until I'm forty. That's….that's..."

"The answer you're looking for would be twenty five," Kikyo supplied as she chuckled lightly and shook her head, "You never did pay attention to the Master. I believe it was a certain someone who at the wise age of twelve declared herself to be educated enough and spent her days harnessing her powers rather than focus on useless reading and numbers."

"Well I got the looks and you got the brains so I'll call it a draw," Kagome teased as she lolled her head towards her sister and continued in a playfully pleading tone, "You sure you don't want to just make a run for it? We can use what we've learned to live our best lives. Just you and me being mercenaries. Just imagine it! Fighting bad guys. Daring rescues of damsels in distress. Showing men their place instead of the other way around. "

"Ah, yes. Me. A mercenary. Whatever could go wrong," Kikyo responded sarcastically she rolled her eyes, "One day the guilt would get to me and I'd turn myself in. Then what would you do?"

"Break into the prison and set you free," Kagome sighed happily as her lips twitched upwards – her eyes fluttering closed as she moved her hands to rest atop her stomach, "Then keep doing it year after year because I imagine you'd do it again and again. It'd become a tradition. Once a year, I'd break you out of prison."

"That...that sounds perfect actually. Absolutely perfect. Except it would never work. I could do with abandoning father but I couldn't bear to know that Mother and Sota were hurt because of us. You know how Father is," Kikyo sighed as she looked out over at the brownish waters with a sad longing, "There's nothing for us to do but accept our reality. I'll miss being so near the ocean though."

For a long moment, the two sat in comfortable silence. The gentle crashing of waves sailing on the breeze and the occasional birdsong that came so sweetly, it might as well have been softly spun sugar. Sweet salt air filled the sails of the fishermen's boats passing by, fluttering their flags and pushing them further down the coast. For a moment, Kagome could forget all her troubles as she grinned and stretched out a single bare hand to feel the moist air wrap around her fingers.

"Maybe we could take them with us," Kagome finally offered thoughtfully as she slowly lowered her hand and the smile faded from her heart shaped face, "The four of us off on an adventure."

"Mother would never leave and Sota is only here on sabbatical from training. Next year he won't have that option. He'll be off and then we won't get to see him until he reaches majority," Kikyo pointed out as she nervously played with her hand in her lap, "Just because you hated training doesn't mean he does."

"You hated it too I might point out but you were more willing to go along with their warped propaganda. Don't throw this on me. Besides we might not to get to see him ever again regardless of whether we marry these mysterious strangers or not," the younger sister pointed out a little more harshly than she intended, "We'll probably be kept at home and chained like chattel."

"It won't be that bad," Kikyo chided gently as she watched the orange sun dip low on the horizon, "You'll see. Everything will work out. I'm sure of it."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The waves of the harbor came day and night, creating music better than the most elaborate symphonies written by the masters. The harbor creaked in time with boats on waves and gulls filled the air with beating wings and cries. The sounds of the boats as they bobbed and creaked, tugging on their moorings to the piers. The ocean never tired, never missed a beat, and through brilliant days and darkest nights the percussion of the shore kept on - a lullaby for anyone and everyone. It was music to her ears. Oh how she would miss it.

Above the shore are the soft brown colored houses complete with thatch roofs, clustered in like old friends reassured by their closeness. If it was up to her, Kagome never leave this place despite the abject poverty but as it turned out, her life wasn't hers to own.

As the men came down the pier towards her and her sister, the two sisters merely stared and remained where they were as though frozen to the spot. These men….there was something in their eyes that foretold of nothing but pain in their future.

"Father?!" Kagome cried out as she spotted her father watching from a short distance up the pebbled beach, "FATHER?!"

The fact that he didn't acknowledge her in any way told her all she needed to know. That large trunk of gold wasn't a dowry at all.

They'd been sold after all.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"They only need the one," one of the men hissed as they continued down the path – the two women in tow tied by their hands and being forcibly dragged behind the cart like cattle, "Which one you like bettah?"

"The older one," the other man laughed – shadows from their torch illuminate his pock marked face and missing teeth, "I haven't had me a virgin in quite some time."

"Can't do nothing until we see which one they want," the other man cackled, "A gift they supposed to be."

"I didn't realize demons were sentimental," the disfigured man laughed once before hacking slightly and coughing up an impressive amount of mucus into his hand which he merely wiped on his already filthy pants, "Figures."

"They look the same," the other, slightly younger man sighed as he glanced over his shoulders at the pair, "Well, one of them seems to have more spunk than the other but other than that."

"I like spunk," the disfigured man snorted as he reached down to itch his crouch, "Maybe I'll take that one."

"No, not until they pick one," the other man groaned before licking his lips, "They didn't say nothing though about trying the goods. Women got more than one hole to try."

"That is true," the disfigured man chuckled before turning around from his seat in the cart, "Oi! What your names?"

"Fuck you!" the younger of the two screamed angrily as she set her jaw and narrowed her eyes. The older woman merely stared sadly at her sister before turning her face to look up at the two men, "If you're trying to decide between the two of us, pick me. It's no use. I have already bedded a male. I have no value."

"Son of a bitch!" the disfigured man cursed as he halted the cart and jumped down, "Old man lied to us. Two virgins. Two! That's what we paid for."

"A man who sells his daughters into slavery is not someone I would ever believe told the truth a day in his life," the older woman spoke quietly as she defiantly met his irate gaze, "So like I said, if you're choosing one of us to defile. Pick me. The choice is clear."

In all honesty, Kagome was too much in shock to even process what her sister Kikyo was saying much less raise a single word in her defense. It was lies. All of it was lies. Why the hell would she say such a thing? As Kikyo met her wide eyed gaze with a sad look of her own, it all made perfect sense. Her sister, her older sister, was sacrificing herself so that her baby sister might live.

"NO! KIKYO! NO!" Kagome screamed hysterically as her internal pause button suddenly released, "DON'T YOU TOUCH HER! NO! NO! NO!"

If anything, her screams merely increased their captors' amusement as they began circling the two girls – each laughing mirthlessly as Kagome tried to shield her sister with her body.

"It's pointless girly," the pock marked man hissed cruelly, "And if she's already had a man, there ain't no point in getting our own asses whipped when we get there. Better to show up with one than with spoiled goods."

"She's not though," Kagome cried out desperately, "She's lying. I don't know why but she's lying."

"Kagome hush," came Kikyo's quiet voice, "I heard them talking. They were going to force one of us anyway."

"No, please don't," Kagome pleaded as the men began their advance – her voice breaking as they came closer, "Please?"

"What's the meaning of this?!" came a voice from up the way followed by the sound of multiple horses, "We come to collect the girls and we find you sending them into a frenzy?!"

"Well if it ain't Naraku! You old dog! We just having some fun is all," one of the men called back as he waved, "We ain't gunna do nothing. We just want what we're due."

"Yeah, what you are due is not a plaything," Naraku hissed as he and his men came to a half in front of the carriage, "Only I get that when it's all said and done."

As the man slid off his horse, he approached the two girls with a speculative eye. The one was strong willed, and feisty. She'd be enjoyable to break in but given who the gift was intended for, she was the obvious option

"What's your name?" he asked coldly of the clearly older one whose mouth merely formed a thin line in reply while the other one merely growled, "Be quick girl."

"Kikyo and this is my younger sister, Kagome," the elder sister replied coolly, "And who might you be?"

"Advisor to the general, not that it's any of your concern," the man replied as his lips twitched upwards and he turned towards his men, "Take the younger one. Kill the other and do what you will with the corpse."

"Wait, what?!" Kagome screamed hysterically as she turned and tried to cover her sister with her body, "No. No. No."

The rope holding the struggling sister was cut away and as she was forcibly yanked away, the last thing she saw was a man with a sword approaching Kikyo who proudly remained where she stood, fully committed to going out with her pride intact.

Even the passage of the light slowed and the sounds became as if underwater as the man raised his sword. Aside from the beat of Kagome's heart, no muscle would move. That pounding inside beat a rhythm to the sight of her sister's execution. The cold steel entered as if she was made of nothing, just meat, blood bones, a cavity appearing in her back and chest as crimson burst forth into the fading day. Her face, so beautiful in life was frozen, eyes open, mouth slack, as she was propelled backward. Kikyo's eyes held Kagome's grief stricken ones. In those fractions of seconds she was there and then gone, the warmth of the ages that had been her love simply vanished.

The strength from Kagome's legs gave out as she crumpled to the mud below – staring numbly at the sight before her. Everything she had ever known was now gone forever - her father, mother, brother selling her like she was nothing. The one person who still loved her struck down. Her life would never be the same again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So, tomorrow is a very special day," a tall, silver haired man chuckled as he approached his brother - his amber eyes sparkling menacingly as he crossed the large ornate hall, "Your promotion will be announced and I've arranged for a surprise for you as well."

"What type of surprise?" Inuyasha replied wearily - his ears twitching in annoyance as he folded his arms across his chest, "I swear, if I find another girl naked in my room..."

"I merely want you to enjoy yourself," the daiyoukai chuckled lightly - a smug grin playing on his lips, "And after all the trouble and capital I spent on producing her, at least keep this one as a servant."

"I don't enjoy raping innocent women," the half-demon hissed angrily as he narrowed his amber eyes and his hand gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, "I'd say keep her yourself but that'd haunt me too."

"If you don't want her, I can gladly arrange for her to be sent elsewhere," Sesshomaru taunted knowingly, "Naraku has his eyes on this one."

"Does he now?" Inuyasha responded wearily - the thought of whatever poor girl being subjected to that bastard's sick desires already grating at his instincts. At least, if he were to get her, she wouldn't be tortured to death.

"Fine, I'll take her. Whatever," Inuyasha responded after several minutes with a heavy sigh before adding with unmistakable bite, "Thanks. Your kindness never ceases to astound me."

"All I ask is that you let me have a round with her once you're done," the daiyoukai replied casually before adding with a dark chuckle, "A miko is a prize indeed."

"You gave me a fucking miko?! Are you insane?!" Inuyasha shouted back angrily as his mouth fell open in disbelief, "You trying to get me killed?!"

"Not at all," the daiyoukai replied with a derogative snort, "She is untrained. I doubt very seriously she could manage any type of attack, much less purify you."

Narrowing his eyes, Inuyasha growled before turning to storm down the hall. It didn't matter anyway. He'd set her free the second he saw her - just like all the others.


	2. The God of Death

Grief surged with every expelled breath, always reaching higher peaks, never sufficiently soothed by her long intakes of the cold, dry mountain air. The fresh pain of loss, of having her entire life shot to hell, of seeing a most precious sister slain before her very eyes was far too much to cope with for even the strongest of men to handle much less her. The weight of everything seemed to press down on her shoulders and she struggled to take even a single step forward. It was too much. All of it. Every step cost her. Each foot forward more painful than the last. The darkness in her mind only grew darker; the pain grew sharper; all of it seemed to only grow in strength and she began to wonder what fresh hells this day would bring.

Her wrists still bound as she was unceremoniously dragged behind those demons atop their horses, Kagome numbly took in her surroundings for lack of something better to do. Upon the forest floor lay trees of yesteryear, fallen in storms long forgotten. The seasons have been harsh, stripping away the bark and outer layers, until nothing but raw flesh of the timber remained. They almost had the appearance of driftwood. Almost. Twisting in patterns that reminded the miko of the seaside waves she'd never see again; even the color of the moss was similar to the color of the kelp that so often washed upon the sandy shore. Even the world seemed to be mocking her pain. Reminding her - even now - of all that she had been forced to leave behind.

"He's just gunna free her again. Don't know why we're even going through this trouble," one grotesque looking demon hissed from up ahead – just loud enough for her to hear - as he glanced over his shoulder – the pupils of his yellow serpentine eyes narrowing until they formed a nearly invisible line, "We could just have our fun with her now. Not like he'd care."

"He might not but I assure you Sesshomaru most certainly would," Naraku clipped back with a weary shake of his head, "Trust me, you don't want to incur his wrath."

"So, what? We just wait for him to let her go then nab her?" the man asked – a short burst of sunlight illuminating the numerous translucent scales covering the majority of his face. Scoffing, Naraku nodded once before a cruel smile grew over his face, "We're under orders to sedate her heavily so she doesn't struggle and leave her in his room. I imagine he'll wait until she's recovered and then naturally, yes he'll 'free' her just like he has all the others."

"They were fun, weren't they?" the serpentine man laughed – the sound a bizarre mixture of a hiss and a choking sound, "To see the hope bleed from their eyes as they realized they weren't so free after all."

Kagome listened apathetically as she forced herself to continue taking steps forward. In truth, she couldn't find it in herself to care. Things were only going to get worse from here on out. The sight of Kikyo's body falling to the ground as blood pooled around her form – her arms at irregular angles, the vacant look in her lifeless eyes, the torn flesh accented by the shadows of the fading day – haunted her as she trudged along. In a morbid way, she was envious that Kikyo died so quickly after they'd been taken. Her sister was spared whatever horrors awaited her in the place she was being forced to go.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Everything felt so surreal. The rough and hurried shredding of her clothing by her captors. The cold, musty air that rushed over her exposed skin. The hungry look in their cruel eyes as they drank in the bare sight of her body. They wasted no time in performing their task. In a blur of speed, the serpentine man cupped her face – forcing her mouth to open – before removing the stopper from a large vial with his razor sharp teeth and pouring the contents down her throat.

Whatever concoction they had just given her had an unpleasant warmth to it, eating at her stomach and causing a dense fog to encompass her mind as her legs gave out and she crumpled to the moist stone floor. Without meaning to do so, her body curled into something fetal, something primeval and all the while the strange sensation burned through her. Closing her eyes, she could hear only the beating of her heart reverberating in her ears, barely able to process the slight pressure of their fingertips as they caressed her skin.

There was nothing left to distract her from the anguish of her brutal losses that day. The only promise of relief was the sweet release of death that had yet to come. Then, oh and then, a chill swept through her body as her heart began to accelerate with such force that she thought it might explode. Frothy bile forced its way up her throat – putrid foam forcing its way through her partially open lips as she shivered and her muscles rebelled against her, jerking involuntarily as irregular intervals. The convulsions lasted for what seemed like longer than she could remember even being alive as she slowly asphyxiated on the grotesque spume that bubbled forth from her mouth, down her throat and into her lungs – unable to move or swallow or fight back in any way due to the heavy, strange weight that settled on her muscles. There was pain. There was panic. And then, there was nothing. Death came for her sooner than she expected and she was grateful for the faltering in her chest, the darkness the crept into the corners of her mind and the general fading of feeling from her body. She would escape after all.

"Oh fuck me," came an aggravated, unfamiliar voice from what seemed like a great distance away followed by the sounds of a slap the echoed off the stone and the sounds of someone stumbling backwards, "You gave her too much, dumbass. How we gunna explain this?"

"Oh please, he can just bring her back and she ain't dead yet," came the serpentine man's voice, "All we gotta do is clean her up and make sure she doesn't choke on herself. Prop her up will ya."

"You do it," the unfamiliar voice spat back venomously, "You're the idiot who fucked this up."

It was in that moment that the miko succumbed to the darkness she so desperately wanted to go and she knew no more.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Death wasn't as comforting as she had hoped it would be. Thousands upon thousands of corpses surrounded her – their skin tinged a sickly shade of grey, their lips tinged a ghastly blue as their vacant eyes watched her without blinking. The life that had dwelt within them had long since gone. One would think they were safe from the perils of the world. That no harm could possibly come to them now. And yet each face was forever twisted in grotesque torment, their haunting moans reverberating in the seemingly endless darkness that surrounded them all. A large menacing figure towered above them – reaching down in an arbitrary manner before flinging them straight into a swirling vortex never to be seen again. As terrifying as the sight before here was, Kagome felt a strange semblance of peace. At least here, she was safe from harm. No one could hurt her any longer. Soon, she hoped, she'd be reunited with her sister in whatever place the corpses were being sent and together they might be able to find solace in each other.

A sudden tug against her unbeating heart had all thoughts of salvation come to a screeching halt. A second. Then a third. And suddenly she found herself being ripped from the underworld and blinking miserably up at the ceiling of the cold dungeon she had just managed to escape. A tall figure with silver hair and cruel amber eyes stood above her brandishing a sword. The righteous anger in his eyes sent chills down her spine. As she lolled her head sluggishly to the side, her sapphire eyes widened in terror as she found herself staring at the disemboweled remants of the serpentine demon strewn arbitrarily across the ground next to her.

"This time, don't kill her," Sesshomaru sighed heavily as he turned and left the room, "This one shall be very displeased that such a pricey gift was wasted due to your incompetence."

"Yes my Lord," came a shaky reply as a small kappa suddenly rushed into the room as tears welled in the corners of the miko's eyes. She'd been free – if just for a moment. Not even death could save her.


	3. Nothing For It

Rapping his claws idly against the mahogany table, Inuyasha stared with blatant boredom at the ball going on around him. All this pomp and circumstance was disgusting. Demons schmoozing each other, trying to kiss his ass and each other's ass when in reality no one gave a shit. If it wasn't for the fact that there was most likely a naked woman in his room, he would've retired there hours ago. It wasn't that he hated women. He was borderline notorious for his escapades over the centuries truth be told and many members of the court joked that hell would freeze over before he ever took a mate. It was more an issue of consent for him. Believe it or not, rape wasn't something he had done or ever wanted to do and yet Sesshomaru kept ordering these women for him as gifts. Speaking of which…

"Where the hell have you been?" Inuyasha clipped playfully as he watched his brother emerge from the thick crowd, "If I can't leave, you shouldn't be able to either."

"There was a complication with your gift," Sesshomaru replied, the corners of his lips twitched upwards, "I have been informed that she is rather fierce and has fought them every step of her journey here."

"Oh lovely, you abducted her. At least the others were already prostitutes," Inuyasha groaned as he slid down in his chair, "This just keeps getting better and better."

"The others were not prostitutes. Do not dishonor me by thinking I would go so low as to procure such unclean filth into your House. The others were merely... broken in before hand by members of my House. Honorable demons who have served me well. You never appreciate such things anyway so I failed to see the harm in it. In any case, this one does not understand how you can be so ungrateful after all the trouble I have gone through in procuring these gifts," Sesshomaru laughed coldly as he rolled his eyes, "Any other demon would be overjoyed."

Momentarily stunned by this information, Inuyasha blinked stupidly at his brother as he grimaced before he managed to collect himself and managed to ask quietly, "So all the gifts you've given me had been abducted?"

"Of course," Sesshomaru replied as he rolled his eyes like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "But this one I specifically ordered was to remain intact."

"That's sick," Inuyasha spat out in disgust, "I don't know how many times I have to tell you these 'gifts' aren't my idea of fun. If you want to give me a gift then release her. I want no part of this

"If you don't want her, there's already a bidding word amongst the lower nobles over who gets her after you're done. Releasing her would be unleashing open season," Sesshomaru informed him with a shrewd grin, "I doubt she'd get very far even if you freed her. The others surely didn't."

"I don't believe this. You can't be fucking..." Inuyasha began to curse before Sesshomaru stood up abruptly and lifted his glass in a clear indication that the toasts would begin. The hall fell silent and the noble gentry began finding their seats as Sesshomaru began his speech. None of it was heard or even acknowledged by the hanyou who merely sat there in shock - anger and horror swirling unchecked in his mind. All those women. Dozens, maybe more. Torn from their families and sentenced to a life worse than death. All for him. If he had known what awaited them, he would never have set them free. This newest gift, though, he might be able to save from such a life. A million ugly thoughts raced through his mind as he merely sat there staring blankly ahead - the rest of the evening passing in the blink of an eye without him even noticing.

As Sesshomaru stood to leave, he cast a smug glance at the seemingly frozen hanyou and coldly inquired - cutting derision in his tone, "You are left with two options. Take her yourself or sell her to the highest bidder. It's your choice and one that will be made for you if you take too long to make up your mind."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Every so often as Kagome stared up at the ceiling in her drug induced haze she felt her mind slipping away from her. Insanity was slowly boring into her mind like a deranged thief, taking what was important to her, adding new dangerous ideas, and muddling up what was left. New sparks of ideas that once she would have dismissed as bizarre started to grow roots, deep roots, they started to make sense in one revolutionary eureka moment after another, cascading out of control, luring her further and further from the self she once knew, until she was so deep that she no longer recognized the dank dungeon around her.

At some point, it occurred to her then that she - in fact -was no longer in that room but somewhere else entirely. A dimly lit room filled with treasures and fine linens unlike anything she'd ever seen before. Everything seemed to glow with demonic energy or perhaps that was merely in her mind. Yellowing pearl inlay eyes watched her from the elaborately carved beasts on the dresser, baring their fangs as though they too wanted to see how much suffering they could inflict on her. Oh, she could try to escape – rip her wrists free from the bindings tying her to the bedpost and run like hell but those demons in the wood would stop her dead before she even managed to get to the door. They watched her. They all watched her. Especially the strange silver haired figure at the door. He was the most real out of all of them. His amber eyes staring at her filled with such unidentifiable emotions, two dog ears atop his head twitching slightly as he watched for her. Waiting. Watching. Waiting. Watching. Waiting. Watching.

Waiting…

Watching…

Never free...

Forever trapped...

Only pain...

Only suffering...

There was nothing for it...

And so she laughed.


	4. Little Did You Know

Nothing prepared him for the depressing sight that awaited him the moment he opened the door. There she was – naked, tied up and obviously high as a kite. Her cloudy sapphire eyes lazily glanced around as she mumbled nonsensically to herself. It was hard to tell whether she even realized he was there.

And then she laughed.

Not a giggle or even a true laugh. No. It was a high-pitched, desperate, almost feral sound that sent chills down his spine. The inhuman noise grated at every fiber of his instincts and it took everything he had to keep himself in check and not run away from the obviously mad woman currently tied to his bed. Taking a long steadying breath, Inuyasha approached slowly with his hands help up in clear surrender which only served to increase the ferocity of her unholy laughter as she began to writhe slightly against the bonds keeping her in place.

"I'm going to untie you," Inuyasha whispered just loud enough for her to hear, "But you can't run, alright?"

Mumbling incoherently in reply, Kagome stopped laughing for a moment as she stared up at him with wide, child-like eyes. One hand. Two hands. One leg. Two legs. The minute her splintered mind registered that her limbs were indeed loose she raised her hand and delivered a mighty slap across her savior's face before jumping out of the bed and drunkenly staggering towards the door.

"Son of a bitch!" Inuyasha swore as he held a clawed hand up to his burned cheek. For someone as far gone as she appeared to be, she still had managed to harness some semblance of spiritual power behind that blow and damn if it didn't sting. For a split second he considered letting her embarrass herself by running around the palace naked but immediately thought better of it. Chasing after her, he lightly grasped her from behind and gently dragging her away from the door.

"You can't go out there," he cooed as sweetly as he could given the circumstances, "You're naked, remember? You need clothes."

"No, no, no," Kagome mumbled as she struggled pointlessly in his light yet firm grasp, "Let me go. Go away. Go away. Go away."

"Can't do that," Inuyasha grunted as she managed to elbow him hard in the gut, "Stop fighting me. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm trying to help your sorry ass."

Ceasing her flailing instantly, Kagome turned her head slightly so she could see his face. He looked very much like the man who'd brought her back from the dead. The same eyes, same hair and yet there was something very different about him. He was pissed off – sure – but underneath the exasperation was worry. He was worried for her.

"Was that so hard?" Inuyasha sighed in relief as he scooped her up and sat her down lightly on the bed before cupping her face and forcing her to look at him, "Yeah, they did a number on you, didn't they?"

Dropping his hand, he sighed before removing his own top and handing it to her, "Here. Cover yourself up. I'm going to go find you something to wear. Don't touch anything and don't run. Bad things will happen if you run, alright? Do you understand?"

When she merely blinked at him, he sighed and cupped her face before repeating himself very slowly, "Do. Not. Run. Bad things will happen if you run. Nod if you understand."

Nodding slowly, Inuyasha released her with a huff of frustration before heading towards the door. As he began to close it behind him, he pointed a finger at her and narrowed his eyes, "Stay. Just…just stay."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A million or more ugly thoughts rushed through his mind as he stormed down the hall. Flashes of each of those girl's faces playing in loop as the thought of some sick fuck crushing all those hopes of freedom followed behind each one in turn. How could he not have known? Surely one of his wards would've told him by now.

"Lord Inuyasha, where are you going at such a late hour?" came a shy whisper from the servant's entrance. Narrowing his amber eyes in accusation, he marched up to her and hissed, "Did you know?"

"I beg your pardon?" the violet eyed girl asked nervously as she glanced about the hall, "I don't know…"

"Did. You. Know?!" Inuyasha barked out a little too loudly for the girl's liking as her pale indigo eyes widened in terror.

"Please lower your voice," she pleaded so softly that he barely heard her at all - glancing over her shoulder for a long moment as her eyes anxious searched for anyone who might be listening, "I knew. We all knew but…but you remember when Ai had her, uh, accident?"

Nodding slowly, Inuyasha felt his stomach twist uneasily as he tried to gain control of his anger.

"She planned to tell you about...about what happened to...to them," the violet eyed girl continued in that same soft volume, "But someone found out and…and…"

"You don't have to finish. I get the idea," Inuyasha sighed heavily as he ran his fingers through his hair. Apparently, he'd become predictable. Those lesser demons merely had to wait for him to allow his gifts to escape before they moved to take the newly freed girls for themselves. It was sickening. Then they had the audacity to threaten and harm members of his House to keep their nefarious conquests quiet was just adding insult to injury.

"Bring the girl some clothes," he ordered gently as he chewed the inside of his cheek before furrowing his brow, "and in the morning arrange for a meeting of the House in the private garden."

"The usual one or…" the girl began suggestively before laughing when he nodded once. What other garden would he trust no one to enter or overhear whatever it was he had to say.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As the pale child entered the room, her heart broke at the sight of the nude woman sprawled out on the bed. It was clear she'd been drugged and with the way her eyes seemed to be rolling about her in head, it was highly likely that her mind had been addled as well. The girl's clouded sapphire eyes blinked sluggishly at the newcomer into the room who smiled kindly as her and held up a small bundle of clothes, "Lord Inuyasha sent me to dress you if that's alright."

Eyelids merely fluttering before closing, Kagome let out a soft sigh which the poor girl took as consent. The closer the violet eyed girl got the more pronounced the girl's madness became as a strange strangled laugh suddenly escaped her lips and she grinned stupidly at the small figure approaching her. Laying down the clothes, she moved to the side and began to try to arrange the woman in a better position only to find that the poor thing had no intention of assisting in any way whatsoever.

"Can't you sit up at all?" the girl grunted in exasperation before blindly reaching out for some pillows and creating a makeshift support before releasing the woman's limp form and watching her flop bonelessly back down.

Brushing a few stray translucent white hairs out of her face, the girl chewed on her lip as she tried to figure out the best way to clothe the poor girl. With the human being more useless than tits on a boar at the moment, it seemed like merely rolling her over as needed while awkwardly forcing her arms in her sleeves would be the most effective way. Sometimes the most obvious solution was also the dumbest. After several minutes and frustrated grunts later, the human vegetable was clothed and the violet eyed girl's job was done.

"I doubt you'll remember this but my name is Shiori," she huffed sadly as she frowned down at the woman with unseeing eyes, "If you need something while you recover, all you need to do is ask for me and it will be arranged."

A subtle nod of the head was the only reply she received as she left. Inuyasha, naturally, had been standing guard outside the door as she had worked and as Shiori left, she whispered just barely loud enough for him to him.

"Don't expect a lot from that one tonight," the bat hanyou whispered sadly, "Your brother's men did a hell of a job on her."

"I figured that much out myself," Inuyasha sighed heavily as he shook his head in disgust, "Now I just have to figure out where the hell I'm supposed to sleep."

"Well now that she's clothed and she knows you aren't going to hurt her maybe the best thing to do is prove it by tucking her in and sleeping beside her. When she wakes unharmed, she might be more willing to listen to you," Shiori opined with a shrug before giggling at the skeptical look he shot her, "Or not. I'll bring some pillows and blankets for you, just in case."


	5. Changes

Taking a great shuddering breath, Inuyasha entered the room and gently closed the heavy wooden door behind him – ensuring that it was indeed locked before turning towards the comatose woman sprawled out on his bed. At least the laughing had stopped – it would be a wonder if he managed to sleep at all with the memory – and she seemed calmer. All he could hope is that when she woke the next morning, she'd be a little more together.

"Hey," he whispered quietly as he walked slowly to the edge of the bed, "How are you feeling?"

Instead of responding, the girl merely closed her eyes and shrugged in a non-committal fashion. Huffing silently in frustration, Inuyasha swallowed thickly before continuing, "I am going to get in bed now, alright? It's your choice whether you stay in the bed or sleep on the floor. Just don't run away whatever you choose."

Partially opening her cloudy eyes, the girl assessed him as the corners of her mouth drooped downwards and her brow furrowed. A second passed then a minute and then finally she nodded as she groped awkwardly for the cover and inched her way up the bed. Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief before merely scooping her up – awkwardly turning down the covers and tucking her securely in place.

"I won't touch you," he assured her softly, "But you can't run away."

"Where the hell would I go?" came a slurred retort as the girl lolled her head towards him, "I died and still couldn't get away. They just brought me back. I'm not going anywhere."

Amber eyes widening in surprise and pity, Inuyasha merely nodded once in reply before setting about getting ready for bed. Suitably attired, he maneuvered himself under the blankets – facing away from her – and shut his eyes. It wasn't too long before he felt her scooting towards him until she spooned him, her arms clasped tightly in front of her as though she could somehow shield her heart with the movement.

"Do you want me to hold you or something?" he mumbled tiredly as the corners of his lips twitched upwards. All in all she was rather cute. Not in an attractive way but more like an adorable pet. Nodding gently against his back, he turned over and gathered her against his chest. With a happy sounding sigh, she buried her face against his shoulder - her arms still forming a tight cross against her chest, as she allowed him to merely hold her.

It was just for this one night. After today, he would need to keep her at an arm's length and make sure she understood her place in all this. But tonight, he couldn't find it in himself to refuse this small gesture. She'd been ripped from her home, apparently died and resurrected by his bastard brother and obviously emotionally traumatized. An act of kindness was the least he could do for her. Running his claws gently through her hair, he closed his eyes and as her breathing evened out, he sighed sadly. This was such a mess.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The garden air was pungent with the fragrance of jasmine. This was no natural basin filled with melt water, but the luxury addition to a formal garden constructed from a combination of copious leisure time and money. From six feet up the surface was an opaque green, but from just two it was clear enough to see the plants and life below the surface. Huge, numerous, highly colored Koi Carp flittered about the lily pads in bloom, their white petals shivering slightly from the movement. It was his happy place, more so than any other. As a child, this is where he and his mother escaped the judgmental glares of the other nobility. Completely secluded and forbidden to anyone except them. It was the only part of the palace that was his and his alone. The one place no one dared enter without invitation.

He'd left the girl still sleeping when he'd left that morning. No one would be stupid enough to try to grab her and in any case, the garden was within screaming distance in the event someone was suicidal. The scent of the servants that comprised his House arrived before they did. Dozens of half-demons of various ages, shapes and size. Some looked more human than anything while others might as well have a stamp on their forehead that were, in fact, of demonic origin. Some of them had been rescued from terrible circumstances and others had merely come upon hearing there was a safe haven in the West. Their loyalty to him was unquestionable. Who else would they dare trust to protect them on their human nights, if not him? Who else would ensure they were fed and housed? That provided gainful employment out of his own pocket. For many, this strange rag-tag collection of half-demons was the closest thing to a family they'd ever had. There were no full demons or humans on their staff. Not one. It was them against the world.

"I am adding a human to the staff," Inuyasha announced after he was sure they had all arrived – a general murmuring of incredulity bursting out immediately after. Holding his hand up to gather their attention back on him, silence immediately fell as he continued, "It has come to my attention that several other human gifts that I have been bestowed and rejected suffered terrible fates. She is not to know this under any circumstance. She will not be staying in your quarters but in one of the rooms generally assigned to heirs. The largest needs to be cleaned and properly furnished by the end of day. Any complaints or concerns will be directed to Shiori as Master of the House. Is that understood?"

Instead of the concrete response he anticipated, he received a general grumbling and awkward sid-eyed glances. He hadn't expected the news to go over well and they would never hurt her but they needed to understand that nothing had changed and to continue to hold some semblance of professionalism.

"I understand that this news comes as a shock to everyone," Inuyasha sighed as he scanned the uneasy looking crowd, "Until this day, no human or full demon has been accepted as a member of the staff. Some of you have been here for over a century and know this well. However, this is a circumstance I didn't ask for and that I didn't want. My hands are tied. The only reason I ask that she be placed outside the servant's quarters is due to the potential for danger. I will not allow any of you to come to harm based on this decision. It has also come to my attention that there have been threats and even injuries towards members of our House. This will no longer be tolerated and any incident will be reported to me directly so that I may address it. Now, is all of this understood?"

"Yes my Lord," came the weary sounds of the small mass of half-demons in almost perfect unison.

"Again, any complaints or concerns should be directed as Shiori and I will address them in one week's time," Inuyasha continued authoritatively, "That is all. You're dismissed."

It was probably wise not to mention that she was a miko – although the burn on his cheek was still somewhat visible to the naked eye. No one had asked him about it and until they did, he was keeping his mouth shut. He knew it was a point of pride that they were the only entirely half-demon staff in the palace – hell, probably the world – but if he couldn't let her go, she needed to be doing something. They'd come around...eventually...but they'd come around. He hoped.


	6. Master of the House

Waking with a gasp, Kagome quickly clenched her eyes shut in the blinding daylight and snuggled back down into the comfortable futon. Tightly squeezing the soft pillow, she allowed a precious few tears to roll down her cheeks. It was just a dream, nothing but a dream. Nightmares were such strange things. They exist outside of logic - without rhyme or reason - and only serve to perpetuate fears you never knew you had. Her sister had often soothed her by telling her they were were meaningless. It wasn't as if her parents would ever actually sell her and Kikyo into slavery, especially not to demons. Furrowing her brow, she tried to take a deep breath of sea air to calm her ragged nerves and instead merely inhaled a strange woodsy smell. It was in that moment that reality hit her like a brick and any relief she felt evaporated faster than summer rain off the scorched earth. Her eyelids snapped open as violently as if she'd been woken by raid sirens wailing and she sat bolt upright staring around the unfamiliar landscape in sheer panic. It was real. Every damn second of it had been real from being dragged away from her home to Kikyo being slain in front of her eyes to the strange man who'd held her and told her it was going to alright. Furrowing her brow, she thought back to the last bit. He hadn't told her everything would be alright. It was more how he behaved which was strange if he was the person to whom she was intended. Everything was a hazy blur in her mind and she half wondered if she hadn't imagined him. Her mind conjuring someone sympathetic to her plight in her slow descent into madness.

Sighing heavily, she slowly, carefully shifted and sat up before lifting the covers and scooting towards the edge of the admittedly comfortable bed. The strange delusion had warned her not to run but…but she wasn't sure the figure was real at all. Maybe it was some hallucination induced by whatever they'd done to her. She could run now. No one was there to stop her. It was possible she could get out. Gently placing her feet onto the plush rug, she eyed various methods of escaping. The door would probably lead to a dead end but the balcony might be a good place to start. At least then she could see what she was dealing with and how far a drop it might be. If she was lucky, it'd lead straight out into the outside world and she'd run like she'd never run before and…and…

Her racing thoughts came to an abrupt halt as a depressing reminder entered her mind. There was nowhere she could really go. Her family had forsaken her. The temple would never accept her back now. Where would a single woman be welcome, much less safe? Sitting numbly back onto the bed, she released a shuddering sigh and clasped her hands tightly in her lap. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to stay especially if the kind demon was real and not just in her imagination. He'd been so gentle and sweet. That wouldn't be too bad at all.

It was in that moment that the doors burst open revealing the man of her literal dreams. Seeing that she was awake, he folded his arms across his chest and struck a very cocky pose as he asked her with a knowing smirk, "You still batshit crazy? No? Good. Then you can work."

"Work?" Kagome repeated quietly as she swallowed thickly - hopes that she might be spared such a life quickly smothered, "What type of work?"

"You will address me as my Lord, wench," he spat out a little too harshly for even his tastes but…but he needed to make sure she understood he wasn't her friend but her employer and master. He'd been too soft with her last night. It was too dangerous for her to assume that any demons of standing in the palace were kind. While it might be true of some, it was the ones who weren't that worried him.

"My name isn't wench. It's Kagome. Ka-Go-Me," she hissed back as she narrowed her eyes before sagging visibly in defeat when he growled angrily, "My name is Kagome, my Lord. Forgive me."

Deciding to overlook the momentary spark of fire, Inuyasha nodded once before snapping his fingers. A small somewhat familiar looking girl entered the room then – the girl was pale with violet eyes and translucent white hair donning a very neat frock – those indigo eyes seemed to be almost speculative as they watched her.

"This is the Master of my House, Shiori," Inuyasha continued authoritatively with an obvious bite to his tone, "If I'm not around, she's in charge and you do whatever she says. Got that?"

"Yes, my Lord," Kagome responded weakly as she stood up unsteadily and bowed, "Mistress Shiori, it's very nice to meet you."

The girl – appearing to be no more than twelve or thirteen – approached her then and cleared her throat, "Now first things first. Can you read and write?"

Kagome nodded meekly. Rolling her eyes, Shiori clarified with a harsh tone, "I asked you a question. In the future, you will respond with 'yes, Mistress" and address me as such. Tell me to what degree can you read and write."

"I, uh, trained at the Fukusai-ji temple, Mistress," Kagome replied hesitantly, "I finished my education at age twelve."

"What age are you now?" Shiori asked coldly as her violet eyes looked over her body, "I find it unlikely that you attained this age without having taken a mate."

"Fifteen and I was training to be a miko so…" Kagome trailed off sadly before remembering herself and adding, "I am fifteen and a miko, Mistress."

"A miko?!" Shiori exclaimed as she sent an incredulous look over her shoulder, "You brought a miko into our House?!"

"I didn't bring shit," Inuyasha snarled back angrily before taking a calming breath and rolling his eyes, "If she steps out of line, I'll handle it. Continue."

Arching a single brow, Shiori shook her head before turning back to her, "So you're relatively educated for a woman. We are in need of a stenographer."

"A steno-what?" Kagome replied in a confused tone before her eyes widened incrementally and she bowed, "Gomen, Mistress."

"Oh for the love of…" Shiori sighed – regretting telling her to address her formally at all, "You don't have to end every sentence with Mistress, okay? A stenographer is the person who takes notes at meetings and drafts letters for your Lord's use. Could you handle that?"

"Yes, Mistress," Kagome sighed in relief. This wasn't going to be bad at all. She was expecting hard labor and grueling conditions. This new position seemed rather cushy truth be told.

"I will be showing you around our section of the Palace. Within the structure, there are twenty one Houses in all. You are now a member of the staff of House Tsukiko."

"House Tsukiko," Kagome repeated as she furrowed her brow, "Is that a family name or…"

"It's none of your god damn business where the name came from," Inuyasha hissed angrily as he narrowed his eyes and took an involuntary, menacing step forward, "It's the name of our House. That's it."

"Sorry, my Lord," Kagome whispered in a frightened tone as she paled visibly and flinched – making Inuyasha fight back a grimace himself. That was a knee jerk reaction that had nothing to do with her per se. His mother had died some time ago from illness. Her name referred to the full moon. When it came time to pick a name for his House, he'd picked Tsukiko – child of the moon – in her memory. It was stupid and sentimental but highly personal. Not even Shiori knew of the name's origin and she had been with him the longest. Still, idiot girl didn't need to be asking questions anyhow.

"Anyway," Shiori sighed as she cast Inuyasha a strange look, "You will be staying in the family quarters from this point on. Once the sun sets, you shall not leave your room under any circumstance. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Mistress," Kagome replied in barely more than a whisper – her wide doe eyes watching Inuyasha apprehensively.

"Now, I need to show you around so you know which areas are off limits and which aren't," Shiori sighed, "Any other staff you will refer to formally unless they tell you otherwise. That means 'yes sir' or 'yes ma'am.' Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mistress," Kagome replied quietly, "Whatever you say."

"Good," the violet eyed girl replied as she gave the woman before her an evaluating stare, "You will need a set of formal kimono for meetings. That will be our second stop today."

"Thank you, Mistress," Kagome replied as she swallowed thickly. No matter what happened from this point out she was going to try to make the best of it. It could be worse. Much, much worse.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"A stenographer?" Inuyasha hissed incredulously as he allowed the latest addition to his staff a moment to process this new information and prepare for the day, "I don't fucking want her following me around everywhere. She's already in danger. It'd be dangling a steak in front of a starving man."

"Where better to be than by your side?" Shiori replied with a heavy sigh, "No one will try anything at a council meeting and it'll keep her away from the others."

"They're pissed, huh?" Inuyasha groaned as he rubbed his hand angrily across his face to which Shiori merely snorted, "Outraged more like it. Until things cool down, it'd be best for her to avoid excessive involvement in the House. Of course, she will take meals with us and share the facilities but I don't want her becoming a distraction."

"I don't want her at all," Inuyasha clipped back as he narrowed his eyes, "You think I would allow her to stay if I had a choice?"

"If you dislike her, give her to another House. Perhaps House Kage. Lady Sango is always looking for new servants and she retains many humans on her staff," Shiori pointed out as she narrowed her violet eyes and arched her brow, "There are alternatives that would perhaps be more amenable to everyone."

"Too many assholes are after her right now," Inuyasha sighed in defeat, "Maybe after things cool down I'll gift her to Sango but until then..."

"Until then she stays, I agree," Shiori chuckled darkly, "It's best to have her refrain from mentioning she's a miko for the time being. I'm sure the news will break eventually but for the moment..."

"It's best to delay that information from spreading as long as possible," Inuyasha huffed as he glanced towards the door, "Show her around. Teach her the ropes and once her room is ready, lock her in there for the night. I don't want to see her sorry ass until I hafta."

"Yes, my Lord," Shiori responded with a curt nod. As he turned to storm down the hall, the corners of her lips twitched upwards. She'd seen them last night - his claws tenderly stroking her hair as he comforted that poor woman, the way he tried to stifle the smile playing on his lips when that woman would snuggle closer to his body. Perhaps it was underhanded of her to place the newcomer in a position where she would be in relatively frequent contact with him. Since his mother died, he had never let any woman get close to him. Oh sure, he'd had his share of affairs with many of women of the court but those usually ended before there could be any lasting attachment. It was through no fault of his own. Most of the women considered him to be fun but not mate material. No half-demon ever would be so he merely was content with whatever he could be given. It was a lonely existence to be sure and one that Shiori knew bothered him, at least to an extent. Instead of chasing after demons who looked down at him, perhaps - in time - he might give this human woman a chance. Or not. One thing was certain however. A perfect servant was one who anticipated what her master needed before he even knew it himself and there was a reason Shiori was Master of the House.


	7. Traditionally Followed

Nobody liked Inuyasha all that much, yet no one really disliked him. His whole attitude made no sense to anyone who didn't know him. He was a bit forward, a little intrusive, rude, temperamental, blunt, but above all things, he was honorable, honest and fiercely loyal to those he considered allies. Yes, not many in the court found they enjoyed spending time around the hanyou but there were a few who sought him out.

Hickory eyes as rich as the earth's soil – sparkling with a mischievous glint that reflected the twitching corners of her mouth - followed him as he entered the great hall. The ceiling in the vast room must have been at least twenty feet high. Designs of fruit and flowers were carved into the wood adorned with jade and flecks of golden paint. This morning an almost tangible nervous energy filled the room as demons mingled with each other over their meals at long mahogany tables. The horde within the room had a life of its own. Their vibrant clothes shone in the morning light and there was chatter amongst them all so loud it was almost deafening. All of them whispering anxiously about the newly appointed Chancellor holding his first council meeting and taking bets on how badly he was going to screw it up.

Fluidly standing with an enviable grace, the woman casually glided to the front of the room where the hanyou sat with his head leaning against the back of his chair and his eyes tightly closed. The woman's hair was reminiscent of the rich soil of the valleys after spring rains, almost black in the shadows but as she stood before the slightly raised table equipped with its own candles, the better lighting revealed her locks to be a rich brown, almost with an undertone of red beneath the dark.

"My, my, Inuyasha, tell me why you seem unusually unpleasant today," the woman stated more than asked as the corners of her lips twitched upwards when his amber eyes shot open before narrowing angrily at the intruder on his self-imposed solitude.

"Couldn't just say 'hello', huh?" the hanyou groaned as he set his jaw and gave her a dirty look before visibly relaxing and rubbing his hand angrily up and down his face, "Sesshomaru gave me another girl."

"Another girl," the woman repeated quietly as she rested her elbows against the raised table and sighed, "What will you do?"

"I needed to talk with you about that actually," Inuyasha sighed after a moment before glancing around in an uncharacteristically nervous fashion, "But not here. Later. In the usual place."

"Aren't I special?" the woman teased lightly. Her unvarnished oak colored eyes with their deep mahogany flecks glowed with humor and playfulness as she smiled warmly at him. Nevertheless, despite the warmth usually present in her gaze, her eyes always seemed to possess a sorrow which placed a subtle melancholic veil over those russet orbs. The only sign of the heartbreak, or the depression that she hid from all those around her so well.

Inuyasha returned her grin with a half-smile of his own before frowning, "Are you going to the council meeting later?"

"If I must," the woman sighed with faux exasperation as rolled her eyes, "Of course, your new position requires you be there and where you go I traditionally have followed."

"Watch yourself, Sango," Inuyasha teased lightly, "People might start thinking you like me or something."

"Oh, no. Whatever will I do? People will know we're…." pausing for a moment - her eyes sparkling mischievously- she dramatically glanced around and finished her thought with a whispered, "Friends."

"Yeah, yeah, save it," Inuyasha grumbled half-heartedly as he folded his arms across his chest, "After the meeting, wait for me and we'll go from there together."

"Sounds like a plan," Sango responded warmly before her eyes lowered to the untouched plate of food in front of him and she furrowed her brow, "Aren't you going to eat?"

"Not hungry. Told them that and they brought me food anyway," Inuyasha huffed in frustration. Sango's eyebrows shot straight into her bangs as she blinked at him stupidly.

"Wait, you're not hungry?!" Sango gasped as she placed her hand over her heart in mock surprise, "I didn't think such a thing was possible."

"Save it, will ya?" Inuyasha huffed in exasperation, "Go eat your food and let me ignore mine. We'll talk later."

"That's fine," Sango responded with a gentle chuckle as she clasped her hands behind her back and walked away, "Later then."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kagome anxiously followed the strange translucent haired girl through a hidden wall just outside of Inuyasha's room. Instead of straight walls, the hallway had a curve, disappearing from sight in a hundred meters or so, until finally stairs could be seen, twisting upwards in a perfect spiral, like a child's slinky toy pulled from each end. As soon as they completed their ascent, they immediately came upon five or six manservants of some unknown demonic origin, all in similar uniform, all clean-shaven, neat, with neat black hair, all with dusters or brushes or feather brooms, and all frolicking, chattering, playing like so many monkeys. As Kagome looked closer, she laughed at herself for wouldn't you know it – they were all monkey sprites. They were all of the same neat, smallish size. They were all laughing. Until they saw her. At once, all semblance of ease shattered and they merely watched her with an air of utter disgust.

"Uh, hello, sirs. I'm, uh..." Kagome began nervously at a clear loss for words when not one of them smiled at her, "I'm Kagome. I'll, uh, be, um..."

Instead of any words of greeting, all she received were increasingly loud growls and eyes that flashed crimson as she stood like a deer in the headlights. Never was Kagome so grateful to be in the presence of the strange girl than when Shiori grasped her hand lightly and tugged her into the next room. Violet eyes glanced back at the angry looking bunch as the girl sighed heavily and gave the poor miko a reassuring smile, "Don't worry about them. You won't be interacting much with that lot anyway."

"They seemed…happy before they saw me," the untrained miko observed awkwardly, "They're monkey sprites, right?"

"You've got a good eye," Shiori giggled, "Except you missed one tiny little detail. They're half-demons just like me, just like your new master."

"So all of you are servants?" Kagome asked quietly to which Shiori shrugged and pouted slightly, "Slaves more like it but servants is as good as any explanation. We get food and lodging for our, uh, services. A monthly stipend for luxury goods but we can never leave the palace gates. Well, he can but he's got the same status as a full demon. He's the exception not the rule unfortunately."

"So everyone here is the same," Kagome concluded before laughing humorlessly, "Except for me."

"There are many human servants within the palace walls, just not within this House. Each House has their own way of handling things. Inuyasha's brother, Sesshomaru, keeps only full demon members of staff. Well, except there's, uh, Lady Rin. She's human," Shiori corrected before furrowing her brow and sighing, "She's different, though. She's more Sesshomaru's pet. Never works. Head in the clouds. Able to sit with them at dinner. Hell, I think he even cuddles with her at night if he's not with a woman."

"Like just cuddles or…." Kagome asked – not really wanting to know but curious all the same.

"Just cuddles. She's only about eight or nine," Shiori assured her before adding with a resigned somewhat agitated tone, "Apparently he found her on some expedition and brought her home with him like a puppy. She worships the very ground he walks on. Never shuts up about the magnificent Lord Sesshomaru. Talks about herself in the third person. Strange kid."

"I look forward to meeting her," Kagome laughed in a very forced way – trying to ignore the all consuming depression gnawing in her gut, "So, I'll be a stenographer? Taking notes?"

"Ah, yes but don't worry, you'll be properly trained. I imagine you'll shadow a member of House Kage's staff prior to going it on your own," Shiori soothed as she continued to point out points of entry and little things here and there.

"How many does he have on staff, Mistress? Half-demons, I mean," Kagome asked curiously to which Shiori furrowed her brow and obviously started some mental calculations, "Probably there's around thirty five of us in all, not including you. I was the first and I'm the oldest. Well, not oldest age wise, but the oldest of those he's saved."

"Saved?" Kagome repeated curiously, "What do you mean?"

"Half-demons have no rights, traditionally, in this world," Shiori explained casually as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, "Many times the day a half-demon is born is the same day they draw their last breath. Even within the palace. For example, my father is a Lord who seduced a human woman and when she gave birth, she tried to abandon me to the elements. Inuyasha stopped her and took me into his House. Some came here in a similar way but others sought employment when there was none other to be found."

"So he 'saves' you and then he puts you all to work?" Kagome snorted as she placed her hand on her hip and waved her hand in exasperation, "Some savior."

"Watch your tongue!" Shiori hissed as he whipped on the spot and jabbed a finger painfully in the miko's chest, "He didn't make up the rules. We weren't executed at birth or left to die thanks to him. He paid for our nurses and care until we were old enough to pay back the estate at the insistence of the council. He wanted us to go free or have a place at court! You know, you should really try to understand how lucky you are. That you were given to him and not someone else. Last human that was given to that sick asshole Naraku was literally impaled on a stick and he watched her slowly be torn in half after he was done with her. Last human that Hiten was given he burned alive. Do you really want me to continue or do you get my point?"

"No, no, I understand. Forgive me Mistress," Kagome gasped anxiously as she tried to quell the growing panic in her chest. It was in that moment the miko realized she no longer knew how she felt. She was numb, yet somehow in agony. She felt safe yet her desire to flee was awe-inspiring. As her breathing grew sharper and her eyes dilated in fear, every moment of her life seemed to flash before her eyes, morphing from comforting thoughts into painful memories. Sharp and cutting straight through her. Even the sweet good moments her family had share were now turned into a knife that twisted sickeningly in her already broken heart. It was becoming harder and harder to breathe to the point where she was barely able to gasp out a pathetic, raw sounding 'sorry' over and over and over.

Relaxing slightly, Shiori stared at her new ward with a mixture of pity and sorrow. This poor creature was broken. Truly and utterly broken. Shattered really. It was almost as though Shiori could see the miko's soul crumpling up and dying in those icy blue, panic stricken eyes.

"Calm down. I'm not going to punish you. Just understand how lucky you are to have been gifted to him and not another," Shiori began in a more even tone as she offered the poor miko an understanding smile, "I apologize for snapping at you but it is better that I heard you and not one of the others. I strongly advise that you refrain from saying such things again. Do you understand?"

"Y...yes Mistress," Kagome managed to gasp out in a somewhat terrified tone as she plastered a very strained looking smile on her face and bowed - her chest still heaving erratically as her heart beat so fiercely in her chest that she thought it might explode, "P...please. Lead the way."

Sighing heavily, Shiori nodded once before lightly grasping the miko's sweaty palm and gently traversing the many facets of the servant's quarters. Her pace was noticeably slower, almost as though Shiori was afraid if she moved too quickly the girl might shatter easier than a porcelain vase. The rest of the morning passed without incident but the haunted look never left Kagome's eyes.


	8. One Hundred Years

It was a relatively modest room minus the table which stood as its centerpiece – a veritable masterpiece of carpentry with its ornately carved legs, inlaid wood of different shades and sanded to perfection. The chairs accompanying it matched as well – twenty one chairs alongside the masterpiece and two at each end.

Inuyasha sat at the head of the table – currently devoid of any others – as he tried to go over the long list of things to address with the heads of the various Houses. Mundane things that, in all honesty, bored him to tears – budget reports for the end of the fiscal year, plans for agricultural stockpiling for the winter ahead, proposals for increased stipends for servants as well as military spending. The position of Chancellor was a veritable nightmare for someone like him. His strengths were on the battlefield decimating enemies with one solid blow of his Wind Scar not organizing these things that were better left to more experienced men. His promotion was more punishment than praise. Punishment for existing and having prowess on the battle field. It would never do that the half-breed had better instincts for war than the InuNoTaisho. Sesshomaru couldn't allow it.

Amber eyes flicked upwards from the copious amounts of single spaced paper as the heads of the Houses began trickling in one by one – most looking rather smug as though they anticipated his failure and were aware of his punishment. There were a few among them that merely entered with an air of resignation as though meetings like this were the bane of their existence. House Kage was one of them but as Sango sat down in her chair, she cast a supportive grin at her friend. Of course, House Kaze always choose to follow House Kage's lead – the lecherous yet harmless elemental demon had had his sights on Lady Sango for quite some time – and their head of House too gave him a reassuring half-smile before turning his attention purely on the object of his affections. Each member had a stenographer who took their place behind their masters respectively.

"Where is House Kumo?" Inuyasha asked quietly as he gestured towards the empty chair, "I requested everyone be here."

"Naraku, uh, declined to acquiesce your request," a women with brilliant blue hair stated with an exasperated sigh before adding pointedly, "Many of us were rather put out that you called a meeting the very day after the celebration. There is no way you've properly prepared. I, for one, believe this is a complete waste of everyone's time."

"Do any of the other Houses second this notion?" Inuyasha hissed as he narrowed his eyes and slammed his hands aggressively down on the ornate bark as he leered at them all, "Speak now."

A few demons cast weary glances at each other but otherwise there was complete silence following the unexpected outburst. Sighing heavily, Inuyasha scowled as he sat back down and pulled out a particular sheet of paper, "Now that's out of the way, let's start with our food supplies. Traditional every House has provided 1% of their crops annually and every year there are wide-spread foot shortages in at least some of the tribes within our domain. We are a collective charged with the care of every tribe that sits within the Western lands and yet we provide no relief to those in need as a result of our own gluttony. Therefore, I move to increase the percentage to 5% effective next quarter. Anyone opposed?"

Let's just say it came as no surprise that many, many, many of the demons present had a problem with the motions and the ones that followed. Maybe he should've eased them into it or at least phrased his proposals in a more palatable way.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

There was a distinct possibility that she had splurged a little on the new addition's wardrobe. Just a smidge. A tad. A drop in the bucket really. After all, it wasn't her fault that somehow this girl's imperfections made the perfect visage of beauty. There was a shyness to her, hesitation in her body movements and a softness in her voice. Whether that had been there before or not was a question Shiori didn't really want to dwell on. The miko's eyes were like the indigo ocean, pools of iridescent blue, sculpted upon her creamy face like dazzling jewels and were merely accented by the beautiful royal blue silken kimono with crimson obi she now wore. Her long ebony hair had been pulled back into an elaborate bun – two thick rebellious strands of hair framing her flushed face as she gazed at her reflection.

"Is this really what the other stenographers wear?" Kagome breathed as she studied herself with a soft smile, "Oh, so beautiful. Thank you, Mistress. I never thought I'd ever wear anything like this in my life."

"It's only for very special occasions," Shiori chuckled softly as she began to lay out a few other outfits and pointed to them in turn, "This red one and this pink one here are for business meetings. The emerald and purple ones are for every day wear. The dress you're wearing now is for formal occasions only."

"Oh," Kagome sighed a little mournfully as she cast one more glance at the mirror, "I guess I should change into something more appropriate. It's a pity I won't be wearing this one very often, if ever."

"Tell you what," Shiori sighed even as her violet eyes sparkled mischievously, "I will allow you to wear that outfit for the remainder of the day on the condition that you do not soil it. Understood?"

Nodding, the first genuine grin crossed Kagome's face as she turned back to studying herself in the mirror before frowning, "I'm not, uh, vain or anything. Just…just so you know. It's just…"

"It's a beautiful kimono," Shiori cooed in agreement as she came to stand beside the human woman, "I own one similar in design only mine is golden with a plum obi. As Master of the House I have more reason to wear it than most as I accompany him often and in foreign lands it's more for show than anything but you need one as well since you will be taking notes at formal functions and it wouldn't do for you for you to wear threadbare silk, now would it?"

"No, Mistress," Kagome sighed happily before her smile faltered and the haunted look was back with a vengeance as she whispered quietly while her fingers gently moved across the fabric, "This was my sister's favorite color. Blue, I mean. This shade almost exactly. Not that she ever wore it. We…we could never…"

Swallowing thickly, Kagome released a shuddering breath as she fought back tears – setting her jaw so tight that muscles jumped angrily from the effort of holding back.

"We could never afford it but it doesn't matter anyway," Kagome managed to gasp out with a strange choked sound as she took a long shaky breath, "It's beautiful. Thank you but I think I'll change, if you don't mind."

Biting her lip, Shiori sighed in resignation before nodding. Damn and she really wanted him to see the way that blue brought out those eyes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"We will reconvene in one weeks time after all of you have had time to consider the proposals I submitted for your consideration," Inuyasha sighed wearily – completely done with the bickering and childish tantrums that had been thrown throughout the past few hours, "Any concerns may be addressed with me by private meeting. The vote will take place by those members who attend. Any absence shall be countered as a vote in favor."

'At least, that way you motherfuckers will actually show up,' Inuyasha thought bitterly as he watched the various demons huff in their respective degrees of outrage as they left, 'Although I wouldn't complain if no one came. Make my job easier.'

"You never knew how to pick your battles," Sango sighed as she strolled over to the head of the table, "I doubt very much Sesshomaru intended for you to actually try to change anything."

"I gathered that much," Inuyasha snorted as he rolled his eyes, "Do you know the time and energy I put into this shit? Weeks out of my life, Sango. Weeks."

"Oh, I know. No one could have been winging those proposals. They were very well-thought out," Sango soothed as she gracefully fell into the nearest chair, "I'm impressed. I must give my compliments to Shiori."

Narrowing his eyes, Inuyasha scowled at his friend before the corners of his lips twitched upwards and he shrugged, "She might have had some say in the matter. I'll tell her that her assistance was appreciated."

"That proposal concerning an increase in servant's stipends had her name written all over it," Sango snorted, "As did the proposal regarding mandatory education for all children within the Western realm. I couldn't help but notice the phrasing was rather inclusive. Quite a revolutionary idea. Pity no one will vote in their favor."

"She spent countless hours collecting data and drafting them," Inuyasha commented with a disappointed air, "The least I could do is actually put them forward for consideration."

"You already pay your servants more than any other house, including mine," Sango mused, "From what I gather in the proposal, it's more about the other houses than your own."

"I doubt she'd mind getting paid more either," Inuyasha snorted before groaning, "I'm very fortunate that I can literally produce diamonds with one fell swoop of my sword otherwise I'd be drowning in debt."

"They do catch a fair price in trade," Sango commented in a bored tone as though she'd heard this rant many a time, "And I imagine your costs will only increase. How many half-demons do you retain now? Twenty, twenty five?"

"Thirty five plus the human girl," Inuyasha mumbled as he began collecting his paperwork – ignoring the way Sango's eyes widened in shock as she managed to gasp out, "That's far too many! There is no way you can support them!"

"Well the nice part about being chancellor is that you're provided a generous annual stipend," Inuyasha chuckled darkly – his words holding a bite to them, "Part of why I agreed to do this stupid shit in the first place."

"Your father left you half of his wealth, did he not?" Sango asked nervously, "He acknowledged you and gave you full status after all."

"He left it to me in trust until I took a mate," Inuyasha replied with a heavy sigh, "Little did he know that no demon in their right mind would ever mate someone like me."

"Always the optimist, aren't you? You'll find the right one," Sango groaned as she stretched her arms above her head, "Or we can make a pact to mate each other after a hundred years."

"That Miroku has his eyes on you," Inuyasha teased lightly – snorting when he saw the way Sango blanched, "He might be a pervert but he's not a bad guy."

"I can't believe that sentence just left your mouth. Beyond hypocritical if you ask me," Sango huffed in disgust and folded her arms across her chest in indignation, "Any man who acts like women are expendable or a plaything will never win my hand."

"So, one hundred years?" Inuyasha asked playfully to which Sango rolled her eyes and nodded as the corners of her lips curled upwards, "One hundred years."


	9. Conflict of Interest

The talk with Sango had gone as he expected. Emotions flew over her face in rapid succession. Horror, outrage, confusion and finally determination. Inuyasha didn't know why he ever thought she might decline an alliance to protect a human girl. If anything, Sango had always been very opened minded and hired many humans to maintain her House, protecting them when need be. Hell, she treated him like he was just a regular demon too. Still, he needed that stupid gift out of his hair. Sango's servant had agreed to train her over the course of the next week and for that he was grateful. Sango would never allow her charge to come to harm and what was out of sight hopefully would be out of mind.

Speaking of sights, as Inuyasha came through the open door a surprising lovely sight hit him out of nowhere and he couldn't help but gape openly at her. There sat petite Kagome. Her soft, creamy shoulders were exposed as she shrugged out of her kimono. Her ebony hair cascading down her back like a waterfall as she reached up to remove the pin holding her hair in place. Her lips were carefully tinted red and her skin was flawless. In that moment, time stood still. When he saw her, it was as if space and time become the finest point imaginable, as if time collapsed into one tiny speck and exploded at light speed. It's as if his universe began and ended with her. He could run forever, search forever, but in the end, every path would lead right back to this woman's heart and soul. Amber eyes widened in the realization of what had just happened. Of all the women in the world, demon or no, he'd imprinted on _her_.

' _Oh, **shit** ,'_ Inuyasha cursed mentally even as both ears plastered against his head as she shrieked like a banshee and quickly tugged her robes back into place.

"DON'T YOU _KNOCK_?!" Kagome bellowed angrily as she narrowed her azure eyes at him, "WHAT'S _WRONG_ WITH YOU?!"

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH _ME_?! WHAT'S WRONG WITH _YOU_?! THE DOOR WAS FUCKING _OPEN_ BITCH!" Inuyasha screamed back – completely forgetting his earlier rule about addressing him formally as he continued on his rant, "WHY THE _HELL_ WOULD YOU CHANGE THIS WAY IF YOU _DIDN'T_ WANT SOMEONE COMING IN HERE?!"

"WHAT'S _THAT_ SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" Kagome hissed back angrily as she stood, both hands clutching at the loose material, "AS FOR _YOU_! WHAT KIND OF MAN JUST STANDS THERE AND _WATCHES_?!"

It occurred to him then the absurdity of the situation as the tiny female vibrated with rage. She was his servant and while, yeah, he probably should've left but it wasn't really her place to talk to him like this.

"YOU NEED TO LEARN YOUR _FUCKING_ PLACE WENCH," Inuyasha bellowed as he stormed over and grabbed her roughly by the wrist – dragging her roughly across the room before flinging open a hidden door, storming down the hall and tossing her unceremoniously into a modestly furnished room, "STAY THERE UNTIL YOU LEARN SOME _RESPECT_."

Slamming the door behind her, he quickly bolted it shut – rage coursing through his veins as he took a steadying breath. _Fuck_ that bitch. How _dare_ she talk to him like that?! And what's with her keeping the door open _anyway_?! _Anyone_ could've seen her! It was like putting herself on a god damn silver platter. Stupid bitch. Huffing in frustration, he managed to get halfway down the corridor when the scent of her tears assailed his senses and the muffled sounds of sobs drifted into his sensitive ears.

"Dammit," Inuyasha cursed as his instincts began trying to claw to the surface, "I do _not_ fucking need this right now. Let her cry. See if I fucking care."

He did care though.

More than care.

He'd imprinted on her.

His instincts were _screaming_ for him to comfort his mate.

To beg for forgiveness for his outburst.

And that was a problem.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It started as anxiety and fear. For a long time she had merely sat on the edge of her modest bed trying to calm her frazzled nerves and then with a steadying breath, she approached the door that wouldn't budge no matter how furiously she tugged at it. Panic soared through her veins faster than the deadliest of poisons.

Her mind quickly was sucked into a void. A dark void. A never ending dark void that consumed every thought, every feeling, every damn thing, until there was nothing left. Empty. Nothing to subside her hollow soul that crept in the shadows of her mind, away from any other human life because it's emptiness is so consuming it cannot bare to pretend that everything is okay. It had been pushed away for a moment but now the void was back and no matter what she did there was no way to escape that all-consuming black hole in her mind.

Her eyesight blurred, but not because her vision was obscured by tears. Everything grew steadily fuzzier as she staggered towards the dresser desperate to hold onto something to stabilize herself. Her consciousness felt like it was floating in thick static and throughout this inky space, her heartbeat rang in her ears, echoing, alongside fading pleas that sounded so far away. Feeling in her body drained until finally all was black. Just like the never ending dark void in her soul.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The rest of the afternoon and evening had gone by without any other unexpected events. Crawling into bed, Inuyasha let out a long sigh as tension slowly left his muscles and he let out a tired hum. Tomorrow he'd have Shiori escort the girl straight to Sango's servant and she'd be gone, at least for a little while. She hadn't even been in his possession for more than twenty four hours and still she had somehow managed to get under his skin. All he'd really thought about all day was her safety and whether she was integrating well with the other members of the staff...as well as the sight of her skin in the sunlight, her scent. _God_ , her _scent_.

 _'No! Bad Inuyasha! Bad!_' he scolded himself mentally as he angrily fluffed his pillow, 'Y _ou need to get over it. So what if you imprinted on her. Demons imprint on women all the time...I think. It's just a crush...an instinctual crush that once created you're basically fucked if she doesn't reciprocate your affections and you'll be doomed to a life of pointless longing. No, it's a moot point and there is no way in hell I'm gunna let my instincts get the better of me. And besides, it's not like..._'

The scream tore through the night like a great shard of glass. Inuyasha found his eyes flying open, his pulse quickening as his heart thudded like a rock rattling around in a hollow box. Then the scream came again, desperate, terrified... _human_. The blood drained from his face, before he was even aware of making a conscious decision his legs were pounding furiously down the corridor towards her room, his two dog-like ears swiveling madly trying to pick up something, anything that would give him some hint that his nose simply wasn't registering. The only thing flying through his mind was a strangely possessive feeling and the instinct to get there as fast as he could. The moment Inuyasha damn near ripped the chain holding the door in place and rushed into the room, he was met with a disturbing sight of the miko utterly alone and obviously mad. Kagome was moving about the room like there's a hurricane inside her - her brain is demanding the energetic expenditure of an athlete but won't tell her limbs what to do. Her sapphire eyes were wild and as she turned her frantic gaze on him, she immediately collapsed onto the floor, buried her face in her hands and started rocking.

 _And_ Rocking.

And _Rocking_.

 _And_ _**Rocking**_.

Faster.

 _And_ Faster.

 _And_ _**Faster**_.

Until she suddenly stilled.

Trembling and sobbing before curling into a small ball on the floor.

Inuyasha for his part remaining frozen to the spot, his mind going a million miles per second as he tried to determine the best course of action. On the one hand, he could just leave her there. It would be easy enough. It was highly possible that she hadn't realized he was standing there within the room or that the door was open or…or…

Something in his heart broke as he watched her slowly collapsing in on herself. This wasn't right. What happened to her, whatever those bastards did made her this way. Shiori had said she'd almost hyperventilated earlier but the rest of the day she'd been fine. What the hell happened?! With a resigned sigh, Inuyasha moved then knelt next to her and gathered the sobbing girl into his arms, "Calm down, okay? Tell me what's wrong."

"Sorry. For earlier. Sorry. Sorry...I…I can't…I...I know," Kagome managed to rasp out in between gut-wrenching sobs, "I…know…but I…I don't…"

"Shhhh," Inuyasha soothed as he gently rocked her and groaned internally – trying to beat down the instinct to tear those bastards limb from limb and silently cursing the whole situation, "It's okay. I'm sorry too and I forgive you but you've _got_ to calm down. You're safe. No one is going to hurt you, alright?"

Instead of responding, Kagome merely choked out another fresh round of sobs and buried her face in his haori. Questioning his sanity, Inuyasha scooped her up and carried the hysterical girl out into the hallway, through the bookcase and into his room where he gently laid her on the bed before also sliding into the bed himself and holding her against him, "Just calm down. You've got a long day tomorrow. You need sleep."

Desperately drawing ragged breaths, Kagome tried to calm herself down – her chest heaving erratically as she struggled with her grief.

"Shhhh," Inuyasha cooed as he gave her a light squeeze, "I won't let anyone hurt you. I promise."

After several long minutes, the poor thing succumbed to slumber – having thoroughly exhausted herself – but never throughout the night did Inuyasha release her. If anything he held her tighter and buried his nose deeply into her hair, merely inhaling her scent with a soft smile on his lips like it was a balm on his very soul. For the first time in a long time, he felt content and calm as he trained her ears on her steady heartbeat, as he focused on the feel of her body against his.

' _Will you get a grip?!_ _This is fucked up for so many reasons! She's been stolen from her home, tortured, drugged and here you are practically drooling over her. Plus,_ s _he's...she's not…not anything to you. Not really. She's your servant. You can't imprint on her. You can't. Undo it. Fight it. Stop. Just...just stop_."

As the girl sighed in her sleep and nuzzled his chest with her nose, Inuyasha couldn't help the warmth that spread through his veins or how that small gesture made his heart melt. Without thinking, he hummed softly in appreciation before dragging her closer to his chest, placing a gentle kiss atop her head and drifting off with her still in his arms. A few minutes later the door to his room creaked open just a hair - just enough for show a very disheveled smug-looking girl with translucent hair before it closed once more.


	10. Mine

Waking up the following morning was especially harsh on the poor miko. Her dreams so much better than her reality. The saddest part of it was, though, that eventually even the memory of her dream would undoubetedly fade - even though she was lucky enough to remember it. Instead, she was left with this strange feeling of detachment from her surrounding, left to explore the hollow boughs of her soul devoid of happiness, the only proof that remained of the dream at all. If she opened her eyes, the vision of Kikyo's smiling face as they played on the sandy beaches they called home would fade. The sounds of her brother's laughter as he tried to keep up. Their mother waving from the doorway. The scent of fresh sea air.

It wasn't until she registered soft breath fluttering across her forehead and the subtle shifting of an arm pulling her closer that her eyes flew open and the memories of the night prior flooded her mind. Over and over and over her mind had replayed Kikyo's final moments until she started screaming unable to calm her racing mind or quell the grief surging in her soul. Then he had come and spoke words of comfort. Taking her into his arms and soothing her. He was such a strange contradiction. Easy to anger, a demon like all the others and yet endlessly gentle. So kind if he wanted to be. Closing her eyes, she had to admit being held like this was the safest she'd felt since she arrived. The feel of his chest rising and falling, the way his arm instinctively pulled her closer at varying intervals, the way he sighed happily in his sleep – a soft ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

Sighing, Kagome snuggled a little closer and wrapped her arm around him in turn – earning a happy sounding hum and a subconscious nuzzle from the sleepy hanyou before his eyes shot open and he nearly rocketed out of the bed faster than any human would ever be capable of accomplishing.

Frazzled, Inuyaha blinked stupidly at her for a moment before collecting himself and folding his arms across his chest in an attempt to keep some semblance of authority, "This will not happen again."

Furrowing his brow, when the girl looked…. _disappointed_ perhaps….Inuyasha tried to keep a cold, superior look on his face even as his heart melted slightly at the slight pout on her lips. It had been one day. That's all it had taken for his demon to decide she was his. That she looked so natural gazing up at him from underneath the covers. Like she was meant to be there. He'd never seen anything so beautiful in his life.

' _Keep it together man_!' he screamed internally at himself as a blush rose on his cheeks, ' _Don't you do it. She's your servant. She's been traumatized. She's bat shit crazy. Don't you dare go there. Roll it back buddy.'_

"Today you will be joining House Kage to be trained," Inuyasha began – his voice uneven as he struggled against himself, "You will be escorted there and back. The sleeping arrangements have not changed. You are not to leave your room after sundown. Understood?"

"Yes, my Lord," Kagome replied with a slight sigh before she maneuvered out of the bed and headed towards the secret entrance that led to her room. Suddenly she paused and sent him a sheepish smile over her shoulder as she mumbled awkwardly, "Uh, I hope you have a good day, My Lord."

' _Oh god dammit_ ,' Inuyasha's inner voice cursed as his heart fluttered in his chest and a slight blush returned to his cheeks, ' _Bad Inuyasha. Bad. Bad. Bad. You need to fight it_! _This isn't right!_ '

"You too, I guess," he replied in a somewhat nervous tone that had him wanting to go up to the nearest wall and beat his head repeatedly, "I'll send one of the others to escort you. I, uh, have to _go_."

With that, Inuyasha left the room – a little too quickly – and slammed the door behind him before leaning against it and rolling his eyes. This was not the time nor place to imprint on someone. _Especially_ on her. He barely knew anything about her other than she had been ripped from her home and utterly traumatized. In her training as a miko, she must've killed dozens if not hundreds of his kind. She was _dangerous_. A threat. In no way appealing _dammit_. Huffing in frustration, he pushed himself off the wooden door and proceeded to head down to the breakfast hall – completely missing the dark figure standing behind the curtain as he tried to reason with himself why his damn body had conspired against him

"Foolish boy," Naraku chuckled darkly as he watched the half-breed mumbling to himself, "Didn't even notice I was here."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

A dark cloud followed Kagome as she walked down the short hall to her room – trailing her fingertips of one hand along the stone wall as she went. She would probably carry it around for years to come. It was hung over her, casting its shadow on her life. The brightness that once exuded from her ever pore was now obscured by the darkness. No, it would be wrong to say it is dark - it is empty, nothing less, nothing more. Sighing, she looked about the small room that was now her home. A bed, a chair, a plain dresser. It wasn't terrible except that there were no windows. No sunshine. Just cold stone walls.

Trying to pluck up her energy, she made her way slowly towards the dresser and removed the pink kimono with its white obi. It was rather pretty truth be told. Nothing too elegant but far nicer than what she was accustomed to wearing. Gently shrugging out of her sleeping yukata, Kagome had just placed one arm into the sleeve with a low menacing chuckle sounded from behind her.

"Such a _waste_ ," Naraku crooned as she turned around – clutching the cloth to her chest in an attempt to preserve her modesty, her eyes wide with terror Backing away like a frightened rabbit, Kagome furiously shook her head and tried to call out for help but her terror stole away the ability to speak.

"Will you scream for me I wonder?" Naraku chuckled darkly as he slowly advanced- playing with the ties of his hakama, "Will you beg for mercy?"

" _Help_ ," Kagome squeaked – her voice breaking and the words leaving her mouth in a terrified whisper, " _Help me. Somebody_. _Inu…Inuyasha_."

"No one can help you now," Naraku chuckled darkly as he wrapped his arm around her waist and ripped the clothing from her hand before gripping her tightly around the neck, "You're _mine_ now."


	11. Ruined Peach

With a heavy sigh, Inuyasha entered the great hall completely lost in thought. It was her damn fault. Throwing him off with that sheepish bullshit about hoping he had 'a good day'. You bet your ass that was some underhanded manipulative shit.

' _Or not_ ,' the nasty little voice inside his head cooed, 'S _he did look really disappointed that you weren't holding her anymore. Maybe she liked it. Likes you. Could love you. Agree to be your mate in time._ '

A slow lazy grin crossed his face and his amber eyes warmed as he considered the idea before the smile faltered and he furrowed his brow. See this was the type of bullshit he didn't need right now. Now was not the time to have any distractions. Not with his new promotion or when so much was on the line. If he started trying to mate a servant who'd been gifted to him like a common whore, any credibility he had would be gone. It wasn't worth the trouble anyway. He was reading too much into all of it. It'd been one fucking day but it felt….felt…god, what was _wrong_ with him?!

"Rough night, my friend?" came a cheeky voice from directly in front of him followed by a muffled snort, "I was wondering how long it'd take you to realize I was here."

"Fuck off, Miroku," Inuyasha growled as waved his hand in clear dismissal, "Ain't got time for you right now."

"I realize that," the ebony haired demon mused as he gave the hanyou a knowing smirk, "So tell me. What lovely lady has the great Lord Chancellor Inuyasha around her finger? I recognize that look. You've _imprinted_."

"I ain't imprinted on shit jackass," Inuyasha hissed angrily as he shot to his feet, reached across the table and roughly yanked the demon by the collar until he was inches away from his nose, "You watch what you say."

"Merely stating the obvious," Miroku laughed – his manner in no way affected by the anger rolling off the hanyou in waves, "I've seen that look many a time. Your instincts never lie, my friend. You have found your one, true mate. The question is whether she found you as well."

"Fuck off," Inuyasha repeated his earlier sentiment as he tossed the demon onto the floor, "You don't know what the _fuck_ you're talking about."

"Alas, I know of which I speak all too well. You can see them once or a thousand times and then one day, just like that, it knocks the wind right out of you and your heart is suddenly not your own," Miroku sighed from his place on the floor as he glanced at Sango who was laughing merrily with a few other women, "It's _entirely_ unfair that women don't possess this instinct that burdens our souls, my friend. Life would be _so_ much easier."

"Shut the fuck up and get lost," Inuyasha grumbled miserably as he breathed heavily through his nose. As much as he loathed to admit it, the monk's words struck a chord. From the very beginning, there had been this possessiveness, this overwhelming drive to protect her. Since the moment he met her, she'd dominated his thoughts and just moments ago he was grinning like an idiot because she wished him a good day. Closing his eyes, he tried to take a steadying breath when something began grating at his instincts like nails on a chalkboard and as he rose, one of his servants burst into the great hall with a look of sheer panic on her face that had his stomach falling out from under him.

_No_.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kagome was beyond feeling and for that she was grateful. The pain that once burned like fire had faded away into an icy numbness. Black filled the edges of her vision and the only thing she was capable of hearing was her own heartbeat as her assailant moved frantically above her. As she stared lazily as the wall, she resigned herself to this fate. Every time she'd closed her eyes – preferring the darkness behind her lids than to watch his face as it twisted in raptured agony as he pounded into her mercilessly – he'd demand she open them again although he'd stopped demanding she look at him. There was no hope left in her soul, no belief a savior might come to rescue her from this fate that she'd probably have to endure a countless number of times before he finally killed her. A single tear slid down her cheek before the man above her stilled and withdrew before hastily fastening his pants and throwing her naked, abused body over his shoulder.

"Mother _fucker_ ," the demon cursed under his breath before chuckling darkly, "One of those brats must've tipped him off. Not that it matters. I've _claimed_ you. There's nothing he can do short of kill me and even then, that ain't gunna take the mark off your neck. You're my whore now."

" ** _Wanna bet?_**!" came a cold, rage filled voice at the same time a blur of silver and red collided with Naraku's form sending Kagome flying through the air and her assailant thudding sickeningly into the wall with a mighty crack. Catching her in his arms, Inuyasha caught the scent of her violation full on, saw the hastily made, still bleeding mark on her shoulder. As Naraku staggered to his feet, Inuyasha's eyes flashed crimson as he tenderly laid Kagome to the side and drew his sword, "You're gunna _fucking_ **_die_** for what you've done."

Rage exuded from his shaking form with the almighty power and heat of a wildfire. Naraku could practically see the flames roaring in his eyes, ready to burn him alive.

"I've claimed her!" Naraku screamed even as he moved into a defensive position – eyeing the seething half-demon wearily, "You have no right to take what is mine!"

"Should've thought of that before you barged into _my_ house and took _my_ woman," Inuyasha bellowed back – his lips curled back exposing his fangs, his breath coming out in shaky pants as he struggled to control his inner demon that so desperately wanted to break free. It wanted blood. It wanted vengeance. It clawed at his very soul that he _needed_ to reclaim what was _his_. His and no others.

" _Your_ woman?" Naraku laughed in a manic desperate sort of way as the two stood off – waiting for the other to make the first move, "Oh, this is too delicious. You formed a mating imprint with a _servant_ you haven't even known a week. A ruined peach with a bite in it. _Pathetic_."

That. That was the straw that collapsed Inuyasha's patience. Jagged purple lines bloomed on his face as his eyes bled crimson. With unexpected speed and agility, he lunged at the challenger to what was rightfully his, his demon screaming in ecstasy as he plunged his claws deep in his rival's chest and pulled out his still beating heart. It happened so quickly that Naraku wasn't able to react – his eyes darting down at the gaping hole with a look of pure, unadulterated shock before raising his eyes just in time to see Inuyasha swinging his sword to remove his head from his neck. As Naraku's head rolled across the stone floor, Inuyasha grinned in a feral delight before a faint whimper pulled him out of his bloodlust. Slowly, amber returned to his eyes and the purple lines faded as he stared at her terrified looking face.

"I…I…I'm…" Inuyasha stammered as he watched her wearily, unsure whether to go to her or send her far, _far_ away.

"Don't you dare apologize," Kagome laughed humorlessly with an obvious bite to it – her face unusually calm given the circumstances, her sapphire eyes void of emotion, "I'm glad you made him suffer."

' _Are you okay_?' seemed like the most inappropriate question in the world. ' _Did he rape you_?' sounded stupid, he could _smell_ the evidence on her. ' _Do you want me to leave_?' was the question he didn't dare ask – hell itself couldn't have dragged him away from her right now. Not with his instincts screaming at him like they were. And apologizing was off the table.

Taking a shuddering breath, he slowly moved towards her – his clothing drenched in blood, his hands marred with deep crimson, the faded purple still fading from his cheeks and yet she didn't look afraid. Not in the slightest. Hearts don't snap like brittle caramel or burst like an overfilled balloon. A heart breaks in the heaving waves of a new disturbing reality that has arrived uninvited. This last cruelty inflicted on her had broken her in more ways than one. She didn't react at all as he gingerly picked her up, leaving the bubbling, putrid corpse behind him or when he shed his outer clothing and waded into his private hot spring in nothing more than his undergarments with her nude form or when he tenderly tried to remove the evidence away. She merely stared at him with vacant eyes, her expression never changing.

"Tell me if you want me to stop," Inuyasha murmured after a moment as he reached over to gather more lye, "I have many female servants who you might feel more comfortable with."

"I'm fine," Kagome responded in an emotionless whisper as she closed her eyes, "Just get it over with."

"I'm not going to hurt you," Inuyasha murmured in reply before gently dunking her head under the water and pulling her back up. Coughing lightly, Kagome gave him an eerie forced smile as she whispered back, "I know."

It was in that moment that Shiori burst into the bathing area – completely out of breath and accompanied by several others all armed to the teeth before the small girl's shoulders sagged in defeat at the sight before her. After a few tense minutes, Shiori's eyes narrowed in determination as she asked with a tone of ice, cold steel, "Where would you like the corpse displayed?"

"Put it in the great hall," Inuyasha huffed angrily, "So everyone can see what happens when you fuck with something that's mine."

"I agree," Shiori replied as she gestured to two of the larger boys in the back who nodded once and rushed out of the room, "I will call for a healer as well. One of Lady Sango's if possible."

"Call for Lady Sango as well," Inuyasha murmured quietly, "And Lord Miroku. It will be important to have allies. Naraku had many supporters who will likely want retribution for what I've done."

"What do you think Sesshomaru's reaction will be?" Shiori asked even as she gestured for a small girl to deliver the message, "I doubt very seriously your actions today will go unchallenged."

"I don't give a fuck _what_ his reaction will be," Inuyasha snarled before blanching slightly when Kagome flinched and muttering a soft apology in her ear before continuing in a much calmer tone, "If anyone asks, tell them…tell them the truth."

"Which would be?" Shiori pressed impatiently – it would have to be her that approached the daiyoukai and she'd rather come armed with an official statement rather than just hearsay.

"Naraku attempted to claim the woman I...I imprinted upon," Inuyasha huffed as he looked down at the now unconscious girl with a mournful look on his face, "That he raped her, challenged me and I emerged victorious."

"As you wish," Shiori responded with a curt nod as she turned to leave but not before she cast a mournful glance at the devastated look on her Lord's face. Despite everything that happened, Shiori sincerely doubted he'd ever relay his feelings to the girl. Actually, _especially_ because of everything that had happened.

Inuyasha looked down at the woman in his arms with a strange mixture of grief and longing in his eyes – gently stroking her cheek with the back of his hand. She'd hate him. That much was certain. And…and it wasn't like she'd understand if he tried to explain it to her. What would he say anyhow? I just met you and this sounds insane but I'm now irreversibly in love with you? Oh, and by the way, sorry I wasn't there to protect you. Already failed once, why not stick around for seconds, huh? Oh yes, that would go over _great_. Releasing a shuddering sigh, he gently leaned over to press his lips lightly against her temple before scooping her up, drying her off and gently forcing one of his robes over her head. It was a generic thing that he only possessed because it had been fashionable about fifty years ago and Sesshomaru had decided he needed one. It was a man dress but something billowy and soft enough to serve his purposes at the moment. With a heavy sigh, he put on a fresh pair of generic navy hakama leaving his chest bare and carried her to the bed before scrunching up his nose at the coppery tang of blood that hit his nose. This room wouldn't do but the guest room across the hall very well might. In the future, that would become her room anyhow – the door sealed by her spiritual sutras every night if he had any say in the matter. And so he gently scooped her up and moved to his mother's room.


	12. Nothing More, Nothing Less

It took a minute for Kagome's mind to catch up with what her body was telling her. Someone was holding her, the subtle movement of her body causing their arm to flex incrementally in a subconscious plea for her to stay by their side. It was all she could do not to scream as she cast a frightened glance over her shoulder only to see Inuyasha's sleeping face - his brow furrowed slightly as his lips twitched downwards yet otherwise peaceful. The last thing she remembered was when that...that demon had...had...

Bile threatened to make its way up as her mind refused to replay those events and she merely clenched her eyes tightly shut as she turned in her savior's embrace and laid her cheek against his chest. Releasing a shuddering breath, Kagome merely focused on his steady heartbeat and the rise and fall of his chest, the way his breath fluttered across her hair - trying to capture that feeling of security from that morning. Like nothing could ever hurt her again.

Her subtle shift in position had amber eyes fluttering open and a soft sigh of relief escaping partially opened lips, "You're awake."

"You saved me," Kagome whispered brokenly as she wrapped her free arm around his torso and buried her face more securely against him, "You came for me."

Nodding gently, he embraced her tighter as he buried his nose in her hair and just by that simple comforting movement, the dam within Kagome's mind burst in a torrent of raging emotions. It felt like she was slowly dying - her grief choking the breath from her body and short circuiting her mind. It was more than crying, it was the kind of desolate sobbing that comes from a person drained of all hope.

" _Shhhh_ ," Inuyasha breathed against her hair as he held her weeping form securely against him, "No one will ever hurt you again. I promise. On my life, I will die before I let something like that ever happen again."

"I couldn't fight him," Kagome wept - her voice breaking and cracking with raw emotion, "I couldn't..."

" _Shhhhhhh_ ," Inuyasha soothed as he closed his eyes and tried to ignore his own instincts screaming at him to mark his mate. No, she wasn't his mate. That wasn't right to force such a thing on her. Especially a human who didn't understand the significance of the word. A mate wasn't someone you courted and tried to pursue. It was someone whose soul cried out to yours, the other half you never knew you were missing. It hadn't registered in his mind that's what had happened that first night when he saw her. He'd believed he was merely trying to soothe a traumatized girl but if he was being honest with himself, he'd never been that gentle with anyone in his life. Even the children. And she'd never want him now.

Kagome's grief was like the ocean she used to call home. It came in waves, engulfing her completely before pulling back just enough for her to breathe before overwhelming her again. Those waves were her master, for now. She was utterly at the mercy of it's whims that bore such ferocity she feared it would leave her merely an empty shell. All pretense of quiet coping was lost and honestly, she didn't care if he did see how broken she had become. There was nothing left of her former self. This final blow shattering the last remnants of the fierce young woman into a million pieces of raw emotion and self-loathing. She was truly and utterly broken. Nothing more. Nothing less.

For what seemed like hours, Inuyasha merely held her as she sobbed. It was slowly killing him inside that he'd allowed anything to happen to her, _especially_ this. Gently pressing his lips atop her head, he tried to thrum deep within his chest in attempt to calm her. A deep reverberation, a deeply buried instinct that existed for the sole purpose of comfort your mate and children. It seemed to work, however, as her tears slowly subsided and the tension left her muscles.

"I just want this all to be a dream," she managed to croak hoarsely after a moment, "I don't want any of this to be real."

"Do you...do you, uh..." Inuyasha managed to whisper after a moment as he struggled with himself, "I could have someone, uh, bring you to, uh, somewhere else, a human village...if you want."

"You're going to send me away?" Kagome asked shakily as she clenched her eyes shut, "I'm not even good enough to be a servant anymore, am I?

Her mind was like a lost man at sea, desperate and starving for some reason to live. Desperate for a memory, good, warm, welcoming, one she could smile to. It was difficult to remember Kikyo' smile, soft but contagious, it had stained her lips like blood, the same blood she could taste as she bit her tongue hard to keep from screaming as the memory faded to Kikyo's lifeless body thudding to the ground. Suddenly Inuyasha was cupping her cheek and gently trying to get her to unclench her jaw.

"Don't do that," he whispered in a soft tone, gently running his thumb across her cheek as he swallowed thickly, "If you want to stay, I won't send you away. You still have much to offer. I just thought you might feel better...somewhere else."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Kagome interrupted him softly, a thin dribble of blood escaping her mouth that he quickly wiped away as he smiled softly at her and whispered, "Why shouldn't I be?"

Furrowing her brow, Kagome averted her eyes before shuddering slightly within his embrace, "I mean, they, uh, I mean I was...then you made me a servant...and then...and then _him_."

"I should've tried to explain," Inuyasha began softly after a moment in a heartbroken tone, "In the past, when...when they gave me women like you...I'd let them go free without a second thought but...but I found out that other demons like him would just capture them. I thought...I thought that if I kept you as my servant, kept you close, I could maybe save you but I failed."

"It wasn't your fault," Kagome whispered after a moment as she leaned her forehead on his chest, "I should've fought harder."

"Oh yes, the human overpowering a demon. Whatever could go wrong?" Inuyasha teased lightly before adding in a soft, more affectionate tone, "It's not your fault either. I don't want to hear you ever say something that again."

"But...but I'm a miko," she managed to sniffle after a moment, "I could've purified him or...or..."

"If you focus on what could've been, if you let those thoughts control you, it makes it harder to move forward. Look to the future not the past," Inuyasha shushed her before adding imploringly, "It wasn't your fault. Let me hear you say it."

"It...it wasn't my fault," Kagome croaked as a fresh onslaught of tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Good girl," Inuyasha breathed as he gently guided her face into his chest and ran his claws through her hair, "In the morning, I'm going to have a healer come and a few trusted allies. Is that okay?"

Nodding, Kagome tried to focus on his heartbeat, the way his chest rose and fell, the breath fluttering across her hair. This is where she was safe in this cruel world. In his arms. It made her believe nothing would ever harm her again.


	13. Verdicts & Secrets

The wind ran its icy fingers through her ebony hair as she grinned - her crimson eyes filled with nothing but relief and joy. He was dead, gone, and she was finally, _finally_ free of him. Happiness flowed through her, warming her skin like the rays of an early summer sun. Her customary indifferent expression exploded into a radiant smile that she had never worn before, not even as a small girl. Everything was going to be alright. She was free. He was dead.

They'd come looking for her soon, to make some statement regarding what occurred, but for now it was just her, the wind, and the swallows, appearing to be dancing in the strong winds as she stood in the midst of it, eyes fluttering closed, peace coursing through her veins as she relished in the knowledge that that bastard was gone and could harm her or anyone else again.

Now she was _free_. Free at last. Free to do whatever she liked. Go wherever she liked. Say whatever she liked. Because she was _finally_ free. Free like the wind she controlled.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The second Sesshomaru entered the great hall, the angry and confused voices fell into an eerie, immediate silence. Anticipation crackled through the room with an almost tangible static. The morning they had all seen what was left of Naraku - his festering corpse displayed proudly at the head table without explanation . The message was clear but exactly whose message was it?

"House Tsukiko was challenged by House Kumo yesterday evening," the daiyoukai began in a cold, cruel tone that sent chills down their spines, "The altercation was the result of Naraku marking the human female on which Lord Chancellor InuYasha had imprinted upon. Does anyone wish to challenge the results?"

"Since when, _exactly_ , has the Lord Chancellor established such a bond?" a burly looking bull demon hissed as he stood abruptly, "There has been no evidence such a bond was formed with the Lord Chancellor and therefore the mark stands. The human is now the property of House Kumo by right!"

"Seconded," another male with turquoise blue hair and cat like eyes bellowed, "While I empathize with Lord Chancellor on the loss of his intended, a human who has been marked becomes the property of the demon who claimed her by youkai law."

"Will the representative from House Kumo declare their intention towards the female?" Sesshomaru asked in an impassive tone as he gestured to the ebony haired female in the front who looked happier than he'd ever seen her, "Lady Kagura, as heir to House Kumo and the new leader, what have you to say?"

Standing fluidly, Kagura sighed before turning to face the crowd, "House Kumo relinquishes all claims on the human female and will not seek reparations. The female rightfully belongs to House Tsukiko. I wish the Lord Chancellor happiness in the dark times."

"Then it is settled," Sesshomaru responded in a bored tone as he sat down and reached for the drink waiting for him, "The display shall remain for three days."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As Inuyasha sat against the head of the bed, balancing a stack of counterproposals Sango had brought him on his lap, he decided the people of the nation did not understand the financial state of the Western lands for if they did, he truly believed there would be a revolution by tomorrow morning. All of the proposals were for decreasing taxation instead of increasing it. One percent was already too high they argued. The less wealthy Houses should find _another_ way to provide food for themselves rather than take from more lucrative ones despite it being part of the very terms on which the Western lands were created. In the beginning, the required contribution was 20% then 10% then 5% and now 1% - each new generation wanting to provide less and less. They didn't care whether there was enough food for the less fortunate members of society - they should have thought of _that_ before the masses became peasants. In terms of monetary taxation, god forbid they pay any at all. It's not as though any spending was necessary for their military forces, government salaries, or the basic creature comforts many of them took for granted. That money should come from somewhere, anywhere else than out of citizen's pockets. Every other proposal was shot down for the same. Decreased taxation would mean there was even less money in the budget for things like education, medical treatment and other such "luxuries". Pay fewer taxes, have fewer programs. It wasn't like _they_ needed them after all. Poor demons should just have more to offer and the problem would be fixed. Maybe he was being foolish to think anything was going to change and even more foolish to think anyone would listen to anything he had to say after he'd killed Naraku over a human woman. Perhaps he should stop resisting what his peers wanted and just keep things as it current stood.

Glancing down at the woman beside him, he sighed heavily and furrowed his brow as he reached over to move a few stray hairs out of her face. The head healer Kaede had brought Kagome some tea to soothe any pain as well as to prevent any further consequences from developing out of the events of yesterday. The miko had been asleep ever since – thrashing and moaning to the point where he seriously considered calling for Sango.

Baku like Sango weren't _necessarily_ demons. Legend has it that when the world was new and the gods were making the animals, the baku were put together from the leftover bits and pieces at the end of creation. More spirits that dwelled in the shadows, thus the name of House Kage to begin with. Baku ate nightmares, were able to move faster than the speed of sound, master illusionists and shape shifters to boot. On top of everything, all the other demons feared their kind and avoided conflict with them at all costs. To face House Kage would mean certain death – whether it be through mind games or a strong blow from the legendary weapon of hers she wielded in her everyday form – forged from the bones of thwarted foes. On top of that, her true form, too, was intimidating - though he'd only ever seen it once himself. An amalgamation of sorts – an elephant's head, tusks, and trunk, with horns and tiger's claws – huge and lethal. The only reason _he_ had grown so close to Sango was that his mother was human and didn't possess that instinct to flee before the spirits that scared other demons out of their wits. They'd grown up together, played together, mourned together. In many ways, they were similar. No one wanted to be associated with either of them – not intimately anyway. They'd often joked and still did that eventually they'd face the world together once they got old – it would never seriously happen but it was a nice joke all the same. Miroku, lecher though he was, would eventually get Sango and Inuyasha…

Kagome thrashed again in her sleep and Inuyasha caved – gently placing his stack of papers on the bedside table before scooting off the bed and knocking lightly on the door.

"Sango, you still there?" he whispered quietly – sighing in relief when he heard her appear in an instant and whisper back, "I was down the hall but I heard you. What's the matter?"

"Could you, maybe, ease her mind as she sleeps?" he asked tentatively before adding meekly, "If you could…"

"As if I _couldn't_ ," Sango clipped back softly before the door creaked open and she slipped inside, "I was listening to the verdict that was handed down by House Kumo. They relinquished all rights to, uh, Kagome but a few other houses weren't very happy with your actions."

As they whispered between each other, they missed the girl stirring slightly – remaining where she was as she listened to their conversation.

"I can imagine exactly who those Houses were," Inuyasha snorted softly before sighing, "I'm not going to tell her, before you ask. She's suffered enough."

" _How_ is it suffering to be with you?" Sango asked in a pitying tone, "You've _imprinted_ on her. Such a bond is relatively rare and such a love would be impossible to resist."

"More common than you think," Inuyasha laughed softly as he thought of Miroku, "I...I don't want to force her into anything, even that. I just want her to be happy and…and safe. That's good enough for me."

"But you _love_ her?" Sango pressed as she arched a brow when he nodded numbly, "Don't you think she deserves to know?"

"What am I _supposed_ to say?!" Inuyasha hissed before flinching when it came out louder than he intended, "I've only known you two days and by some fluke of demon physiology, I've now instinctively recognized you as my _mate_? You were just raped but that's fine because I love you?! That'd go over real well, don't you think? Humans would never understand and after what's she been through, I don't ever want to make her feel _obligated_. If…if eventually she…she loves me, I'll tell her but…but I don't think that's _ever_ gunna happen and I've made my peace with it."

"You don't know that. You've been so kind to her and supportive. She _might_...," Sango sighed heavily before she crinkled her nose and glanced over his shoulder, "Oh _no..._ I think the choice whether to tell her or not has been made for you."

"Oh _fuck_ ," Inuyasha breathed anxiously before doing the only thing he could think of in that moment – he opened the door and sprinted down the hall leaving a pitying Sango and utterly bewildered Kagome behind him.


	14. Decisions Decisions

"So, uh, your name is Kagome right?" Sango chuckled nervously as she turned back towards the girl on the bed, "That's, uh, a very unique name. Quite beautiful."

The more Kagome mulled over what she had heard the more her brain became a spinning top, always finding more questions than answers. It had to be fake, a manipulation of sorts. They'd just met not more than two days ago, if that. Yes, he'd been sweet but he'd also made it a point to put up boundaries. Just yesterday they had fought about her not showing him enough respect and now he'd…he'd…

"What does imprinting mean?" Kagome asked hoarsely after a moment as she furrowed her brow – noting the way the woman pale and grimaced, "You said he imprinted on me. What does that mean?"

"Imprinting, uh, is when a, um, male demon's instincts, uh…" Sango managed to stutter awkwardly as she rubbed her arm, "Basically, it's kind of like a crush. A crush that, uh, is instinctual and…and, um…."

"It's _more_ than a crush. I'm not _stupid_ ," Kagome sighed bitterly before huffing in frustration, "You said he _loved_ me. How can he love me if we _just_ met?"

"It's just the way imprinting works. I know that demon mating _must_ sound strange but...," Sango murmured awkwardly as she bit her lip - her hand still awkwardly rubbing her arm, "Okay, _yes_ , he loves you but.."

"Do I have to love him back?" Kagome asked bluntly as her face fell faster than the blink of an eye and her gaze fell into her lap, "Do I have to, you know, uh, allow him to...is he going to force me like...like..."

"Oh honey, no," Sango breathed sympathetically as she rushed to the side of the bed with alarming speed and sat on the edge of the bed, "You don't have to do _anything_ if you don't want to. No one is ever going to force you to do anything ever again. In a way, it's a good thing. No other demon will ever try anything against you because you've been imprinted upon and they've seen what Inuyasha is capable of doing when it comes to you."

"At lease there's that. It's not that…that I hate him or anything. I don't. At least, I _think_ I don't. I don't know all that much about him. He's almost a complete stranger. I met him not two _days_ ago," Kagome whispered anxiously as she fought back tears and her heart hammered erratically in her chest, "And while he has been kind to me, was it just to...to sleep with me or... I just...it's just too much...or...I don't know what he wants from me now..."

"Don't worry about that. I know this must be hard," Sango soothed as she reached over and gently squeezed the miko's hand, " _No one_ is going to force you into anything. He _isn't_ going to force you into anything. And imprinting is _more_ than just about _sex_. He has absolutely _not_ been trying to manipulate you into putting out. That's _not_ why he was kind. I _promise_."

"Well that just makes me a _bitch_ doesn't it?! To assume the worst in him?!" Kagome nearly screamed in frustration as tears began streaming down her cheeks - full blow panic rising in her chest, "I'll seem like a bitch if I don't at least give him a chance, right? But I barely know him! And now... _oh god_..."

"Calm down, sweetie, calm down" Sango hushed her gently as Kagome began to go into full blown hysterics, "It's _perfectly_ acceptable to wait before you give your answer. Like I said, _no one_ is going to force you to do _anything_ ever, _ever_ again. You know what? _I_ have a male who imprinted on _me_ but before that he had gone through women like water and I'm not interested in being with someone like that, even if they suddenly had a change of heart, because he _still_ does things I'm not comfortable with and until he _stops_ , I won't give him my answer."

"But Inuyasha hasn't done anything to make me say _no_. I'm just being a total _bitch_!" Kagome sobbed miserably as her shoulders sagged and she buried her face in her hands - her voice becoming more and more frantic with each passing second, "I can't take any more of this. Everything I've ever had has been stripped away from me. _All_ my choices have been made for me and now I don't even get a choice of who I get to _love_. I'm out of options but I'm not ready to be with someone like...like _that_."

"Oh sweetie," Sango breathed sadly as she placed her knees on the bed and collected the young hyperventilating human in her arms before gently running her fingers through her ebony locks, "If it'd make you feel better, you can come stay in my House until you make a decision and don't worry about him. He'll be fine. He will never force you to do anything. I've known him almost all my life and he's my dearest friend. I give you my word that he'll _never_ do anything to hurt you. When you're ready, I'll let him know when he can come court you if and _only_ if you want him to do so. It _will_ be _your_ decision on where to go from here. You can take it as fast or slow as you need to and I'll protect you, he'll protect you, and..."

"Still makes me seem like a _bitch_. Why can't _anything_ be normal anymore? _Why_? And...and won't somebody come for me if I stay away from him? I don't have a choice to even _have_ any choices!" Kagome sobbed miserably against the baku's shoulder. Heart breaking more with each passing second, Sango stroked the girl's hair before cooing softly, "I know it must be hard. It's a lot to take in within a very short span of time. In terms of safety, though, in all honesty, they're much more terrified of _me_ than they are of _him_. If you're under my protection, you'll be just as safe or safer and I have _many_ women - both human and demon - under my care that have never been attacked because everyone knows what I'm capable of doing."

"What _are_ you capable of doing?" Kagome managed to whisper shakily - momentarily distracted as she pulled back enough to look into the woman's face. Laughing softly, Sango closed her eyes for a moment as the room around them shimmered and suddenly the miko was atop a mountain covered in a rug of trees, green, yellow, scarlet and orange - their bare tops were scarfed and ribboned with snow. There were carved rocky outcrops, fields that seemed like amber rivers and the occasional mirror-like flash of a mountain lake.

" _Oooooh_ ," Kagome breathed in awe before wiping her nose on her sleeve and sniffling as she looked out across the landscape, "Is this…is this real?"

"No, it's an illusion. I cast illusions, can shapeshift, all sorts of things that scare the _crap_ out of most youkai," Sango chuckled softly as she sighed in relief when the miko smiled softly - her breathing beginning to even out as she looked around with a look of general wonder. After a long moment, Sango let out a shuddering sigh before smiling softly herself, "This mountain, though, it _is_ real in a way. My native village is here. I haven't been home in decades though. After my parents died, I had to take their place within the palace."

"I'm sorry to hear about your parents," Kagome murmured softly as she reached out and took the woman's hand – squeezing lightly.

"Thank you," Sango hummed appreciatively as she squeezed back before frowning, "They died when I was quite young. Part of why Inuyasha and I became so close. Inuyasha's mother was traveling to her native village on request from her father. He'd disowned her when she mated with a demon, you see, but extended an invitation for her to visit. Naturally, she needed an escort and my parents volunteered as humans are usually more fond of baku than youkai but…but it was a trap. All three of them were killed in an ambush. Inuyasha's father died soon afterwards of a broken heart so the rumors say. Woman can outlive their mates but their mates often cannot outlive them."

"That's so sad," Kagome whispered shakily as she knelt down on the ground and took in a deep breath of mountain air, "Why is the world so cruel?"

"I don't have an answer for that," Sango admitted as she knelt down beside her, "There is far more good in the world, though. You just sometimes forget to see the forest for the trees."

For a long while they sat in silence, admiring the view before Kagome took a deep breath and whispered quietly, "I'm not ready to love someone right now. I don't know if I'll ever be but I can't get to that point if I stay with him. It'll just make me feel worse now. Feel guilty and not better. And I _hate_ that its the case because when he held me, I felt like nothing could ever hurt me again."

"If he has his way, nothing ever will," Sango mused as she sent the girl an understanding look, "He doesn't want you to feel obligated to him. All he wants is for you to be happy and well looked after. He won't ask for more from you. No one is going to force you to do anything, not him or me or anyone."

"I'm not in a place right now where I could be much of anything to anyone. I'm not ready to love someone or be in that kind of relationship," Kagome muttered bitterly as she closed her eyes tightly in pain, "Maybe in time but not right now."

"Well, why don't you stay with me for as long as you need?" Sango asked kindly, "Probably a good idea since I enjoy eating nightmares and I've heard you're having problems with them."

"You eat nightmares?" Kagome asked with a hint of weary amusement - grateful for the minor distraction, "What do they taste like?"

"It depends but they're usually a little like sweet cherry in a way," Sango mused as a smile played on her lips, "Other times, they're sour like yuzu. Each person is subtly different."

"I wonder what my nightmares will taste like," Kagome hummed curiously to herself as she looked across the beautiful valley before an odd look fell over her face, "Could you...could you make it look like the sea?"

Nodding, Sango inhaled deeply and the scenery shimmered until the all too familiar sight was before her – complete with the salty air, the sound of seagulls and the gentle crashing of waves on the shore.

"I always loved the sea, "Kagome sighed shakily as a breeze played with tendrils of her hair and she turned an appreciative look at her new friend, "If I _really_ have that option. If I _really_ have a choice, I'll come stay with you if that's alright."

"More than alright. If that's your choice, stay with me as long as you want," Sango hummed happily as she looked out at the water, "However long you want."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Inuyasha was a nervous wreck. How the fuck was he ever going to be able to face her again? It was taking every ounce of self control not to rush back to beg, plead, get down on his knees and ask her to be his and his alone but what would that accomplish? She'd had such a whirlwind of pain and agony since she'd arrived. He'd be damned before he added to the mix. She wouldn't have to feel forced into anything and could recover. The feelings coursing through his veins were so strange; they stretched him thin, they were beyond overwhelming and yet it made him feel complete. Made him feel like he had a purpose in life. They had no bound nor length nor depth; all the feelings he had for her were just absolute. Whatever was best for her was all that mattered and he was not what was best for her. Not right now. Perhaps never. Still, he'd make sure she was safe. Nothing would ever harm her again. Nothing. Not even him.

"I know that face as well," came Miroku's sympathetic voice from not too far down the hall, "Come, a drink may not solve our dilemma but it certainly soothes the sting of rejection."

"She _didn't_ reject me," Inuyasha muttered in a depressed tone, "She just found out and I ran because I'm a god damn coward. And...and it's not _right_. Not after what she's been through. I probably should go back, though. Explain to her..."

"I understand. Truly I do and I must admit that's very noble of you to take her condition into consideration," Miroku sighed heavily as he gave him friend a sympathetic smile, "Come. If she denies you, you know where to find me. Should the worst come to pass, let us drink our sorrows away and perhaps in time, we can overcome this strange obsession with love."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The first thing InuYasha noticed as he pushed open the door to his room was how stale Kagome's scent had become since he'd left an hour ago. The second was that Sango was waiting for him - her russet eyes looking tremendously guilty and slightly scared as she fidgeted on the bed.

"Oh _god,_ I know that face. What did you do?" InuYasha asked wearily as he sat down beside her before everything clicked in his mind, "You know why she isn't here. What _did_ you do?"

"I gave her a choice to come stay with me," Sango admitted with a heavy sigh as she rested her head on his shoulder and rubbed his arm affectionately, "She needed to feel like she still had a _choice_ in all this."

"That's why I didn't want her to know. Didn't want her to feel like she owes me or nothing," InuYasha sighed miserably as he rested his cheek on his friends head, "So she's going to stay with you? For how long?"

"I don't know how long she'll be with me," Sango responded softly before sighing and lifting her head, "I'm sorry it happened this way. Really I am but after everything she's been through, she _deserves_ a choice. You _know_ I'm right."

"What if she doesn't choose _me_?" InuYasha asked in a defeated tone as he flopped down on the bed and gestured as the ceiling, "What am _I_ supposed to do?"

"I hope it doesn't come to that," Sango sighed as she glanced at him before playing idly with her hands, "Either way, if you _love_ her you _need_ to do what is best for _her_. Allow her to heal and come back to you on _her_ terms. In a matter of mere days, she was abducted, tortured _and_ raped. _All_ her choices were made _for_ her. Give her the greatest gift by allowing her to have the power to control her own destiny for a change."

"You're a manipulative piece of shit. You know that right?" InuYasha groaned as he closed his eyes and huffed in frustration, "I don't want her to _ever_ regret being with me if...if she does choose to be my mate one day. What's the point of having a mate that hates you, you know? So, I _don't_ want to take that away from her but I mean, can't I at least _talk_ to her about all this?"

"When she _chooses_ to talk to you," Sango responded softly before chewing the inside of her cheek, "Show her you love her by playing by _her_ rules rather than the other way around. Let her choose whom to love and when."

"Don't like the idea of a _whom_ and not a _me_ ," InuYasha snorted lightly, "Don't like how you said _when_ either."

"I imagine you don't," Sango laughed softly before sighing and deflating, "I'll keep you updated on how she's doing, okay and when she's ready to see you, I'll let you know right away. Until then, be patient."

Nodding glumly, InuYasha fluidly sat up before huffing and getting off the bed, "Well, I guess that's that then. If we're done here, I'll be needing a drink."

"But I _can't_ go out with you _tonight_ ," Sango pouted, "I need to see if she's..."

"Didn't say with _you_ ," InuYasha snorted before chuckling lightly, "Need someone to commiserate with and you've got some important lady empowerment shit to do."

"Wait, _what_? Lady _empowerment_ shit? _Really_? _That's_ what you've decided to call me helping Kagome?" Sango snorted in amusement before adding in a teasing yet knowing tone, "I'll never understand _why_ when things don't go your way you think the solution is more _sake._ Not a great habit you're developing."

"Get off my back. Been a stressful day," InuYasha huffed as his cheeks tinged a light pink, "I'll see you later, okay? Take care of her."

"So who are you planning on _commiserating_ with tonight?" Sango asked curiously as she got to her feet and arched a brow, "Shiori or..."

"Wouldn't _you_ like to know?" InuYasha teased before rolling his eyes and heading out of the room on a mission to get completely black out drunk. Just because he _understood_ what Sango was attempting to do didn't mean he had to like it or that he couldn't find his own way to cope with this latest twist of bullshit. Smirking slightly, his footsteps faltered and his face fell as he paused and considered this course of action. Drinking _did_ seem to be his solution to many things, his go-to way of avoiding bad situations. _Shit_. That needed to change. A _lot_ of things needed to change. He needed to be a better man in case Kagome choose him in the end. That being said, any change could wait until _tomorrow_. Tonight he needed a god damn drink.


	15. Let's Play A Game

The evening had begun... _awkwardly._ The first hour was filled with almost tangible epic levels of cringeworthy attempts at conversation and moments filled with regret on both sides. The two demons were not well acquainted with each other and were only seeking the other's companionship in an attempt at solidarity for the broken hearted. That, _however_ , quickly changed as both began going through an _obscene_ level of sake like water - both demons having fully intended on literally drowning themselves to escape their current predicament and instead, finding that perhaps this awkward situation wasn't quite so awkward after all.

"I HAVE A GAME!" Miroku slurred happily as he set down three more jugs of demon grade sake onto the small table, "I SHALL CALL IT IMPRINTING IS _BULLSHIT_! I _just_ came up with it. You drink _every_ time you don't know the answer."

"This sounds like a _terrible_ idea," InuYasha snorted before a dopey grin grew on his face and shrugged, "Fuck it. I'm down. So how does this work?"

"Did you not listen to a word I _just_ said? You drink when you don't know the answer," Miroku cackled before filling his partially empty glass to the brim and raising it like he was about to give the toast of his life, "What is... _Wait_ , what's this girl's name again?"

"Kagome," InuYasha hummed happily before snickering as Miroku nodded and began again, "What is _Kagome's_ favorite color?"

"Fuck if I know," InuYasha cursed under his breath before taking a sip and smirking, "What's Sango's favorite color?"

"Shit, uh...she wears pink and green a lot so, uh, those?" Miroku giggled as he shook his head and huffed in exasperation as he gave InuYasha an imploring look, "Tell me so I know."

"Green but like... _really_ green," InuYasha nodded sagely as he murmured more to himself than Miroku, " _Pretty_ sure it's _green_."

"Ah, if only there weren't so many _shades_ of green," Miroku mumbled snidely before clearing his throat and making a very serious face, "Kagome's favorite food."

"No _fucking_ clue," InuYasha snorted - giving no fucks that he was well on his way to blacking out, "Sango's favorite food."

"How the hell am I supposed to know!" Miroku snickered loudly as he took a generous sip, "Imprinting is such bullshit!"

"Such bullshit," InuYasha parroted before grinning drunkenly at his new best friend in the whole world, "Just so ya know, Sango's favorite food is _carrots_. Don't know why but give that bitch a carrot and she's happy as a clam."

"See like why didn't _you_ imprint on _Sango_ ," Miroku whined and pouted, "You know _everything_ about her. Why me and not you?"

"Why did I imprint on Kagome and not like literally _anyone_ else?" InuYasha groaned in frustration before raising his glass and sending Miroku a wicked grin, "Know _why_! Because imprinting is _bullshit_!"

"You just need to finish that drink," Miroku snorted as he rolled his eyes and took a sip himself, "This is game we're _both_ gunna lose. You know, I've been curious. You're just as _notorious_ as me when it comes to the ladies. Why does Sango hate me for that reason and not you? Quite hypocritical if you ask me."

"No ones asking you, and _now_ you've made this depressing," InuYasha sighed heavily. For a long moment they were quiet, awkwardness settling over them like a blanket before InuYasha huffed in frustration, "Like how do either of us _know_ that we're actually compatible with them? Because people _say_ that's what it means?! Like...I don't know anything about her other than I _literally_ would chop off my arm if she asked me to do it. Like that's...like the _worst_."

"The _worst_ ," Miroku agreed morosely. For a moment, they both sat in silence as they stared dejectedly into their drinks before Miroku's head shot up as he was struck by sudden inspiration - the drunkenly spoken words haphazardly falling from his tongue , "We should spy on them."

"Oh my _god_ , **_yes_**!" InuYasha breathed excitedly like that was the most brilliant thing he had ever heard in his life, "I know the back way into Sango's room."

"Wait, _why_ do you know that?" Miroku asked suspiciously before a lecherous grin grew on his face, "Were you and her... _you know._.."

"Ew no, _gross_ ," InuYasha snorted indignantly as his face contorted in disgust, "Why does everyone assume we're sleeping together?!"

"Because you've got _quite_ the reputation _and_ you two are _inseparable_. Always have been," Miroku huffed in exasperation, "When people invite one of you they _assume_ the other is coming as well. Like you two are a package _fucking_ deal!"

"So what?! Men and women can't be _friends_?" InuYasha challenged as a faint blush appeared on his cheeks when Miroku arched his brow and gave him a knowing look, "Friends with _benefits_ maybe. My literal first thought...okay, not first thought but like an _important_ thought. Anyway, I was like well damn, she's probably gunna mate InuYasha one day and where will that leave _me_?!"

"Okay, first of all, she's like my sister. You _don't_ fuck your sister," InuYasha slurred as he wiggled his finger in the air before pointing it in his drinking buddy's general direction,"Second of all, I _honestly_ had that thought too. When I was _lonely_! Not like _all_ the time but sometimes I was like, _maybe_ that wouldn't _suck_. I'd settle for that."

"Thats _literally_ the least romantic thing I've _ever_ heard come out of anyone's mouth _ever_. You'd _settle_ for her because _maybe_ that wouldn't _suck_. Aren't you a poet," Miroku snorted before sending InuYasha a wicked glance, "But it means you've _thought_ about it. You'd've tapped that if she offered?"

"I dunno. _Maybe_? Nah, I wouldn't. Dunno why I said that, " InuYasha chuckled as he shook his head and sighed, "Not attracted to her and she's not attracted to me either. It's hard to think of someone in that way when like... _no_."

"When like _no_?" Miroku giggles girlishly before he flushed a deep crimson and slammed his hand over his mouth - his sapphire eyes widening in horror that he was capable of emitting such a noise.

"Yeah, ya know, when you're just like... _no_ ," InuYasha slurred sagely - his obviously drunken facade growing serious as though he had just uttered something that rocked the very foundation of modern philosophy.

"Words to live by," Miroku chuckled as he rolled his eyes, "Well, life would've been easier if _you_ had imprinted on her and not _me_. That's for damn sure."

"Like...why _Kagome_ though?" InuYasha muttered miserably after a moment - his cup of sake wobbling dangerously in his hand, "I couldn't tell you the _first_ thing about her but I _know_. Like _really_ know. I'm _so_ sure that I _love_ her. What the _hell_ is wrong with me?!"

"InuYasha, let me tell you the..." Miroku began sagely before he furrowed his brow - his lips partially open as he huffed and fidgeted, "Damn, what was I gunna _say_?"

"Imprinting is bullshit," InuYasha offered with a depressed sigh, "Bet you it was imprinting is complete bullshit."

"No, no, _wait,_ Imean yes it's _bullshit_ but okay..." Miroku began as glanced around and whispered like someone might be listening, "What _if._..it has _nothing_ to do with their _personalities_? Like...like what if it's like...only because our _babies_ would be _awesome_."

"Like we only love them because they're like...the ideal woman for us to have brats with?" InuYasha asked as a thoughtful look came over his face before he nodded and shrugged, "I could get behind that. That makes sense."

" _Right_?!" Miroku breathed excitedly, "And we get all like obsessed and lovesick because we'd _never_ in a million _years_ would _ever_ go for them and our bodies are like surprise motherfucker! _That's_ the lady who will make you the _best_ babies _ever_."

"You know, my dad imprinted on my mom," InuYasha responded thoughtfully after a moment, "Left his mate and everything for her. Imprinting's _why_ I was recognized and given full status. Maybe I'm like a _super_ baby."

"Well maybe I was _wrong_ about awesome babies then," Miroku snorted as he grinned stupidly at the annoyed looking hanyou, "Maybe it runs in families? My grandfather imprinted on my grandmother, you know."

"Did they make sense?" InuYasha asked curiously, "They made a good pair? I was really young when my parents died. I can't remember if they made sense or not."

"I'd never seen a couple so happy together," Miroku sighed happily, "Up to the very end, they made perfect sense."

"Well there's hope then," InuYasha concluded with a appeased grin, "It's more than just _babies_. Don't know how or why or when but eventually all this bullshit will make sense."

"For you _maybe_ ," Miroku huffed bitterly, "Sango hates my guts."

"She doesn't," InuYasha sighed exasperatedly as he rolled his eyes, "Lay off the ass grabbing and focus more on the courting part."

"I mean, what can I say? I'm an ass man," Miroku chuckled as he sighed happily and stared off into the distance, "And by _god_ does she have a nice ass."

" _Okay_ but don't come cryin' to me when she doesn't want _anything_ to do with you," InuYasha snorted before frowning slightly, "What if they _never_ love us back?"

"Then we'll marry each other and be done with women," Miroku concluded as he downed the last of his drink, "Who needs them _anyway_."

"No offense but you could be the _last_ person in the entire world and I, good sir, would _not_ fuck you," InuYasha snickered as he reached toward the sake jug and refilled his cup, "No way in hell."


	16. Better or Worse

If there was _one_ youkai in the world that Sango wished she never had the displeasure of meeting, it was Kagura. While not as insanely evil and disgusting as her late brother, the wind sorceress was downright unpleasant and took unhealthy levels of pleasure from rubbing the baku the wrong way. It was on this particular morning that the wind sorceress had decided to grace the exhausted and emotionally Sango with her presence.

"Lady Sango," the wind sorceress cooed as she gracefully sat down across from the baku who sat _trying_ to enjoy her breakfast in the great hall, "A little bird whispered in my ear that you took that girl into your House last week. Can't say I'm surprised. No one in their right mind would _ever_ be with a half-demon but then again, I sincerely doubt the girl is in her right mind. I guess the better question is who would take _her_."

"I'm only going to explain once," Sango began heatedly as she narrowed her eyes and slowly lowered her chopsticks onto her plate, "I'll use _small_ words, so you understand. It is _none_ of your damn business and if you _ever_ have the balls to say something like that to me again, I will spend _every_ minute of _every_ day making your life a living hell."

"Such strong words," Kagura laughed before clicking her tongue and rolling her eyes, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were _jealous_ he picked a human over you."

"Does your ass ever get _jealous_ of the shit that comes out of your mouth?" Sango spat back as she shot to her feet and slammed her hands down on the table while Kagura merely smirked in amusement, "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going somewhere, _anywhere_ else, you ugly, conniving _bitch_."

"I think thou doth protest too much," Kagura sighed in an infuriatingly knowing tone, "I bet you kept the girl on purpose because you wanted _him_ all to yourself."

Huffing in exasperation, Sango had barely made it out the door before someone grabbed her arm and yanked her forcibly off to the side.

"Don't let her get you so riled up" came Inuyasha's amused voice as the baku growled angrily and ripped her arm out of his grip, "Take anything she says worth a grain of salt. Kagura is a _bitch_. It's nothing new."

"She just likes to stir the pot," Sango huffed in frustration before shivering slightly in disgust, "Always knows how to get under my skin."

"You just are mad that she called you out for being madly in love with me," Inuyasha teased before snickering when Sango merely groaned and punched him lightly in the arm as she hissed, " _Fuck_ you."

"Fuck you right back," Inuyasha snorted before glancing around to make sure he wasn't about to be overheard and whispering in an amused tone, "Don't worry. I know you're secretly thrilled out of your fucking mind that Miroku imprinted on you. I remember when we were kids and you literally had entire parchments filled with his name and little _hearts_ next to it."

"That was _before_ he turned into a complete pervert. He might be good looking but beauty is only skin deep," Sango hissed back as her face flushed a deep crimson and she added guiltily, "Please don't tell him. I know you've been hanging out with him. You _haven't_ told him, right?"

"I solemnly swear I will never tell him," Inuyasha promised – the bemused smirk on his face falling slightly as he sighed heavily and gave her an imploring look, "You really won't tell me how she's doing? It's killing me. I know I've been hiding it well but it's _really_ killing me."

"You know I would if circumstances were different," Sango whispered imploringly, "You know I would, but she asked me not to tell you anything and I'm not going to break her trust."

"Why does she hate me?" he asked – his shoulders sagging in defeat as he averted his eyes and let out a shuddering breath, "I didn't do anything except love her. Is that a crime?"

"She _doesn't_ hate you," Sango soothed as she reached up to affectionately rub his arm, "It's more that the idea of imprinting scared her. She doesn't know anything about you."

"But she doesn't _want_ to know anything about me," Inuyasha mumbled miserably as he let out another shuddering breath and fought down tears that desperately wanted to break free, "How is she ever going to love me back if she doesn't even talk to me?"

"I don't have an answer for that," Sango sighed sympathetically, "All I can say is hope that everything will work out one day."

"This is all such bullshit," Inuyasha muttered shakily as he shook his head and visibly deflated in defeat, "Every single second of my life anymore is thinking or worrying or pining over _her_ and she doesn't even want to consider me as an option."

"She's not in a place to consider anyone, Inuyasha," Sango sighed wearily as she gave him a sympathetic smile, "She hasn't ruled you out though. Give her time. Besides, you're being a little over dramatic don't you think? It's only been a week after all."

"You keep saying that but I'm starting to think time isn't going to solve anything," Inuyasha huffed as he set his jaw, "How will she ever love me if she won't even give me the time of day?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Bitterness grew thick over his soul as he lay on his bed with the curtains drawn over the windows. Oh yes, he _loved_ her. He loved her like a thief loves a gallery filled with priceless paintings – longing to steal all of them for himself but ultimately, all it would accomplish was unfortunate consequences and years of pain down the line. Oh yes, he _loved_ her. Like how misfortune loves orphans, and flames love dry thatch rooves. It was ironic and cruel – hanging heavy over his head, taunting him, teasing him, killing him slowly inside. It wasn't as though he asked for this to happen; that he enjoyed the way her face and voice haunted his every waking hour; that he hated himself for leaving her alone that day; that even food has lost its flavor; that everything exhausted him anymore. A month had passed now. An entire month. Is this really what his life was going to be like now? Would he waste away to nothing because of some fluke of demon physiology that he had absolutely no control over? Flinching as the curtains were thrown back, Inuyasha threw the blanket over his face and ignored the presence in his room.

"Just _look_ at the damn proposals!" Shiori huffed in exasperation as she dumped several packets on the bed, "It's been weeks! _Weeks_ , InuYasha! Suck it up. Yeah, she isn't coming back for a while but she's _not_ fucking _dead_! You have _responsibilities_! You're _still_ the god damn Chancellor! You _still_ have a House and thirty-five mouths to feed! Get out of the damn bed!"

"Not like I can just switch it _off_ ," Inuyasha chuckled darkly with no lack of bitterness in his tone, "Not like I have a _choice_ whether I can just forget about her or not."

Growling menacingly, Shiori gripped the bed cover with both hands and pulled with all her might until the damn thing flew off exposing the hanyou who looked like he hadn't moved since he leveled his usual lodgings to the ground so many weeks ago. Dust still clung to his clothes, his hair was a matted mess and the smell of body odor had her gagging.

" _No one_ is saying _forget_ her! I'm saying you _can't_ live like this!" Shiori hissed angrily as she stormed over and yanked his ear until he sat up, "Go take a bath and get dressed. You _need_ to review all these proposals and counter proposals before the meeting tomorrow. I've done the research _for_ you. Done the changes _for_ you. Summarized them all _for_ you. _All_ you need to do is read them! You _can't_ be this way!"

"I don't have to do jack shit," InuYasha grumbled miserably as he rubbed his sore ear, "You don't even get it."

" _Oh,_ I get it," Shiori clipped back, "You love someone who _doesn't_ love you back. While that _sucks_ , I will _not_ let you waste away to nothing over it. Get out of the bed or so help me..."

"Fine, fine, I'll get up," InuYasha sighed in a resigned tone as he groaned and threw his legs over the side of the bed, "Don't have to be such a bitch."

"Apparently, I do, or you'd just lay there until she came back," Shiori huffed as she brushed a stray hair behind her ear, "I know this is hard and I know I'm being harsh but I hate seeing you this way."

"It's none of your damn business," Inuyasha mumbled before closing his eyes and forcing himself to his feet before pausing - guilt wrenching in his gut when her heard her whisper quietly, "How can you say its not my business? You _are_ my business. Every day of my life revolves around _you._ You _can't_ say its none of my business."

Sighing heavily, he raised his hand by way of apology before trudging off towards the hot springs as Shiori bit her lip and turned to leave. Closing the door behind her, the small violet eyed girl let out a shuddering breath before sinking down to the ground and burying her face into her hands. Oh, she understood all too well what he was going through but she was his servant. Always had been, always would be. And a perfect servant puts their master's needs above their own - even if doing so killed them inside. So she'd pushed him towards the human girl, hoping that perhaps Kagome would be the one who made him feel loved, to be the one he held in arms at night. It was what _he_ needed. It wasn't like anything would have ever happened between _them_. Shiori knew that. She had always known...but still she had held onto a foolish hope that maybe one day...

It is a sad nuance of life that one of the cruelest fates is being in love with someone whose affections lie elsewhere. Shiori honestly didn't know which was worse – loving someone you could never see or loving someone and having to see them every day.


	17. One Must Die

Taking a shuddering breath, Kagome pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her shins; if she could just curl up into a ball, she wouldn't have to face real life, she'd be protected from everything around her. Not that it would actually work. She still had to live with herself, with all the wretched memories swirling around in her head. No matter what she did, there was nowhere she could hide from the thoughts in her head.

Never before had Kagome noticed how time is so much like water; that it can pass slowly, a drop at a time, even freeze, or rush by in a blink. Every day has passed by like thousand of camera frames per second blurring past her before looping right back around to that moment that had been the breaking point. Time had not purged the memory of…of him moving inside her, how the pain seared through her body and took away every feeling of safety she ever had. The feeling of safety she'd had felt that morning in Inuyasha's arms. The memory cut through her every time she thought about her. Even that sweet, good memory was turned into a knife that twisted her already broken heart.

Over the past few months, InuYasha had become a silhouette in her mind, as if he vanished from a photograph and all he'd left behind was an imprint of where he belonged. He belonged with her and she with him. That was one truth she clung to. So often there was an ache in her heart that came and went, always returning in quiet moments to make her realize there was something to look forward to, a goal worth realizing. Kagome wanted so badly to see him, yearned with every fiber of her being to keep him close, to talk to him, to hold him, hear him tell her everything was going to be alright but ultimately, she knew that his absence was entirely her doing.

For so long, Kagome knew, she just _knew_ , nothing good would come of seeing him right now and she'd rather take the pain of being alone sooner rather than later. Maybe in a few years she'd be able to be something more than a hollow shell, be able to smile and laugh, to be the good mate or lover or whatever thing he needed, that he deserved. And he deserved so much more than what she had to offer him. As she currently was, though, she wouldn't be able to give him anything that would have a chance of lasting. It took everything she had to get out of bed in the morning and even then, she often found herself staring idly at nothing before trudging off to bed once more.

At first, she rarely if ever left her room. Barely ate, perfectly content to waste away into nothing, as she spent hour upon hour lying awake on the bed. When she did sleep, she knew Sango was getting her fill. The nightmares would start before being replaced with sweet carefree dreams. It made her sick to her stomach. It was her greatest fear that even Sango was going to get tired of her soon and force her out. All she ever did was be a burden to everyone around her. That was probably why her father sold her in the first place. That thought haunted her so often as she listened to Sango's seemingly constant pleas to leave her small, dark room.

And it wasn't like she _didn't_ know her being away hurt him. She _never_ wanted to hurt him. _Never_. There were times she seriously considered finding her way to his room and crawling into bed with him, so he could hold her and make her feel safe, loved, whole. It wouldn't be fair to him to do that though. To offer nothing more than neediness and depression. So, even though she wanted nothing more than to be by his side, she needed to focus on healing, on getting to a place where she'd have more to offer him. Sango insisted that he wouldn't care, that he'd stay with her no matter what but...that isn't what Kagome wanted. She wanted to be capable of loving him and she barely loved herself. Being with him wouldn't change that. It would only make her pain that much worse, keeping the feelings so raw, and add a whole new layer of guilt to the equation.

Besides, with each passing day she was learning new skills to cope. She always had been able to rise above adversity. She was a survivor. She _was_ getting better. The passage of time would dull many things, allow her brain to redirect, reinvest energy elsewhere other than the all-consuming panic and depression that weighed her down. So unfortunately, for now, their paths diverged until _every_ step, _every_ breath, _every_ second of _every_ day no longer felt heavy.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

At least once a week, Inuyasha would travel to the small study where Miroku would happily be waiting for him with at least five jugs of sake. It had become a ritual of sorts. One that had begun as a weekly bitching session and now had to grown into a true friendship. It was similar to the friendship he shared with Sango only _not at all_.

"Okay, someone needs to slow down. You have no fucking idea what you're saying," Inuyasha snorted before furrowing his brow, "It's my turn anyway. Would you rather instantly know the history of every object you touched or only be able to talk with animals?"

"I dunno," Miroku answered before narrowing his eyes and stroking his chin as he sat deep in drunken thought, "I mean, animals are probably very boring but what happens if I touch _water_? Would I see everywhere that water has been? Like when someone drank it and then peed it out? Would I be overwhelmed as I walked through the world because my feet were touching the ground? If that's the case, animals don't seem like the lesser of the two evils."

"You put way too much thought into that," Inuyasha groaned in a bemused voice before taking a long sip of his sake, "Alright, your turn."

"Would you rather murder a kitten or a puppy?" Miroku slurred as he arched a single brow. Snorting loudly, Inuyasha snickered and shook his head as he stared incredulously at his drinking partner, "Who hurt you as a child? _Seriously_ , I _need_ to know."

"Just answer the question," Miroku sighed as he rolled his eyes and took a sip, "Kitten or puppy. One _must_ die. Choose."

"Uh, I always had a soft spot for cats so puppy I guess," Inuyasha mused before his eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and he stared at his friend in alarm, "Oh god, did I just kill _myself_? I'm inu. I'm the puppy."

"No you didn't. Now who's the one reading too much into this game?" Miroku snorted before sighing happily and holding his drink into the air, "Ask me what you will."

"Would you rather be unable to see or unable to hear?" Inuyasha asked as he stretched slightly and laid down on the small futon – his head spinning as his ears twitched sluggishly atop his head awaiting his friend's answer. After a moment, he heard Miroku's sigh as he murmured, "I guess be unable to hear. Not much use being able to control the elements if I can't so much as see the rain, or the falling snow."

"About that," Inuyasha sighed happily before lolling his head towards his friend, "Need you to come with me to the north in two months' time. Apparently, there's a drought and they need some rain."

"If I must," Miroku groaned as he rolled his eyes and set his drink down on the table before adding playfully, "See I knew it wasn't my company you enjoyed. Merely using me for my gifts. You've been found out, my friend. I see what you're doing."

"Uh, what? Asking for a favor?" Inuyasha snorted before closing his eyes once more and adjusting himself to be more comfortable, "And before you ask, Sango won't be coming. You seriously need to stop with the ass grabbing. Like…just stop. It isn't that hard not to grab her ass. Do something, literally _anything_ else."

"I know," Miroku mumbled dejectedly as he stared morosely into his glass, "I need to do better. I just…it's hard and I'm weak."

"I know what you mean," Inuyasha sighed as drowsiness flooded his mind, "Believe me I know. We handle it our own ways. Wish it was easier but its not."

"I've said it before and I'll say it again," Miroku slurred as raised his glass and nodded wisely, "I've said it before."

"I know," Inuyasha sighed in a resigned tone – his words coming out as a breathy, slurred whisper as he drifted off to sleep, "Imprinting is bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit."


	18. Cheating Bastards

The day had started simple enough. Much like every day since his sisters were taken from their home while their father did _nothing_. Not that he was much better. After all, what had _he_ done to save them from that wretched fate? Kikyo had gotten off easy. That was the sick part. Her life ended that day while who knew what tortures Kagome was being forced to undergo. What sick, twisted individual had her in his grasp. It haunted his every waking hour, left him waking in a cold sweat more than once.

He hated him. More than any other person in the entire world he hated his father. The cruel callous man who wouldn't even shed tears for the daughter that had been struck down, for either daughter that had been lost. That night, when the wretched beast of a man had slept soundly, Sota had left to search for his sisters – taking every last coin his father received as payment with him in the hopes of buying them back. Not that it mattered. By the time he'd found Kikyo's mutilated body, the men who had done it had fled without a trace. He was the one who buried her. He was the one who shed tears. He was the one who visited the grave. Who changed out the flowers so they would always be fresh. Not his mother. Not his father. Only him. All his parents cared about was creature comforts. How on earth did he come from such callous beasts?

It wasn't until he heard his father whispering to a strange man about how much his mother might be worth that Sota took action. That afternoon, as his father went to tie up the boat, the boy reached out for the nearest spade, grasped it and in a perfect circular motion hurled it towards the head of the unsuspecting man. It hit his face with such violence that the impact produced a dull snapping noise before the elderly man swayed dangerously and crumpled to the ground. For good measure, the boy slit the evil bastards throat before kicking his body into the ocean like the trash he had been in life. The worst part was that his mother was neither surprised that she might be sold nor grateful she'd been spared. In fact, all she seemed capable of doing was staring idly into space day in and day out. A broken shell of the woman she used to be.

After that day he'd traveled in search of his sister. Through valleys, over mountains, traversing the land in the hope that one day he might be able to find her one day and together they could find a new home. A place where they'd be safe and he'd protect her to his dying breath. He'd protect her and nothing would ever harm her again. _Nothing_.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Without any warning, a sudden gush of pain jolted throughout Inuyasha's body. His stomach ached, his arms lost tension and his legs began to weaken as he looked dazedly down at the knife protruding from his stomach.

" _The fuck_ ," Inuyasha breathed as he removed the silver dagger and clutched the wound before looking around to find the assailant. It didn't take long to figure out the three figures walking down the largely abandoned hall were the ones stupid enough to challenge him. Well, not quite so much stupid as cowardly. He'd best them in a fight where he wasn't injured. Still might.

"We'll be taking the girl," the largest of the three demons chuckled as he reached for the dagger at his belt, "As House Kumo's closest allies, we thought it apropos to take matters into our own hands since Kagura will not."

"The hell you will," Inuyasha hissed as he staggered to his feet – one hand still clutching his stomach and the other hovering over his sword, "You cowards think a little knife wound is enough to take me down, do you?"

As Inuyasha ripped the sword from its sheath and it transformed in all its glory, any advantage the three demons thought they might possess was lost. Inuyasha had taken more and better men down in fair fights and they knew it. Taking an involuntary step backwards, the front man swallowed thickly before holding his dagger at the ready, "You wouldn't dare use that here. You'd take out the entire building."

"Try me," Inuyasha snarled angrily as he narrowed his eyes, "I'll take down you and the whole damn palace if need be."

"You're _lying_ ," the second man hissed – his yellow serpentine eyes flashing dangerously as he pulled the bow off his back and took aim, "You wouldn't _dare_. I'm calling your…"

Famous last words as it turned out. Before his scaly fingers could react, a thousand adamant shards came sailing towards him – annihilating him instantly while the other two stared in horror at what remained of their friend before their heads snapped up just in time to see a brilliant white flash racing towards them and they were vaporized into thin air. Just as quickly, Sango appeared from the around the corner completely out of breath – holding her giant boomerang at the ready before looking around at the general destruction in awe. This would be expensive to fix but since Inuyasha had won, luckily the money would come from the thwarted Houses. Speaking of him…

" _Inuyasha_!" Sango breathed as she rushed forward to the heavily bleeding hanyou panting supporting himself on his transformed sword, "What happened?"

"Bastards were going to come for Kagome," he managed to respond shakily, "Tried to cheat. Threw a knife at me when I wasn't paying attention. Not that it did them any good."

"I never thought they'd be that stupid," Sango laughed shakily as she knelt down and wrapped his arm around her shoulder before helping him to his feet, "Come on. We need to get you to the infirmary."

"I'll be fine," Inuyasha muttered awkwardly as his free hand clutched at the gaping wound in his stomach, "Don't think they hit anything vital. I'll be better by tomorrow."

"Do you want me to get her?" Sango asked quietly as they made their way down the hall – genuinely surprised when he shook his head and sighed, "No. It would scare her. Make her feel worse, not better. That people might come get her. I'll…I'll deal with anyone who'd try but she doesn't need to know that they might."

"Okay," Sango mumbled affectionately before gasping when she felt him sag slightly – his knees buckling as his head lolled sickeningly to the side, "Hey. Don't pass out on me. We just need to get you bandaged up. Stay with me."

"'Kay," came his tired response as he kept forcing his feet moving forward – a crimson trail of blood staining the ground behind them as more and more curious onlookers appeared - wisely getting the hell out of the way as the two passed by.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Why isn't _she_ here?" Shiori hissed angrily as Sango arrived to deposit an unconscious Inuyasha into his bed, "He could've _died_ and she can't even do him the courtesy of _**visiting**_?!"

"He told me not to tell her," Sango sighed heavily as she stared at the blood already seeping through the fresh bandages across his torso, "If that blade had hit him one inch higher, it would've hit a lung. As it is, it pierced his stomach pretty badly and the knife was coated in a poison powder. Nothing lethal. More to stun and disorient but it'll still take him a few weeks to recover."

"I mean, you're not going to listen to him, are you?" Shiori scoffed indignantly, "She _needs_ to know! This is _wrong_! You're _wrong_ for keeping her from him!"

"Watch yourself," Sango clipped back acidly, "You get away with a lot because you're like a little sister to him but I swear to god if you..."

"If I _what_?" Shiori snapped back as she bared her fangs, "This is _wrong_. _Wrong_ , Sango! You are the _last_ person on the planet to tell me otherwise. You're _just_ as bad as her!"

"What do you know about it!?" Sango screamed back as her eyes flashed menacingly, "Not like _anyone_ is in love with you! Wait, no...I didn't...I didn't mean..."

Recoiling like she'd be slapped, Shiori blinked numbly at the baku for a moment before her face went completely blank and she turned to leave the room without another word.


	19. Webs

No one and I mean _no one_ thought to fuck with Kagome or InuYasha again. At least, not _directly_. Even the new heads of the houses who'd challenged him had enough common sense to realize that seeking revenge _directly_ would be a suicide mission. They'd like to live to see another day, thank you very much. The general lack of danger, though, was a relief to the hanyou. Bastards had laced that dagger with poison just like the god damn cowards they were and it was taking longer than he'd like to heal. Not _only_ that but the damn antidote they'd given him made him more emotional than he'd ever been in his life and his moods were all over the place. Completely outside of his control. It was utterly pathetic. He _would_ heal, though - _eventually_ at least - and that's what really mattered. That's what he'd like to say. Truth was he wanted more than anything on this planet for Kagome to be here right now. More than he had ever wanted _anything_. And...and she _wasn't_. It was kinda his fault that she wasn't but it still hurt nonetheless. A reminder of _why_ she wasn't. Because he'd failed her in every _possible_ way.

Sniffling slightly as he wallowed in self-pity, Inuyasha furrowed his brow as pain throbbed in his gut, deep and warm. It felt like someone had their hand in there and were squeezing his organs either as gently or as hard as they could. When it waned, he could move, but when it returned he could can only hold still and breathe, breathe slow and deep until it passed.

"Are you in pain?" Shiori asked anxiously as she came into the room with some fresh bandages, "I can call the healer to bring something for it."

"I've had worse," InuYasha muttered lazily as a fresh wave of pain shot through his abdomen and he flinched involuntarily. Sighing, Shiori began arranging the items she'd brought before gently folding the blanket down so she could see the damage.

"Why haven't you called for her?" Shiori asked casually as she began unfurling the bloodied bandages around the wound that refused to heal, "Wouldn't you feel better if she was here?"

"She'd get too worked up," InuYasha grumbled as he threw an arm over his eyes and grimaced as the bandage managed to remove a painful scab, "She'll _never_ come back if she's afraid to leave her room or if she thinks being associated with me will put her in _danger_."

"She'll be fine. I'm sure she'd come if you needed her to come," Shiori murmured affectionately as she took a clean rag and wiped away the traces of blood, "Don't worry about scaring her over this. You've shown you'll protect her."

"Have I?" InuYasha asked dejectedly - his throat growing tight as he fought back tears - cursing himself and the antidotes for causing such a weakness, "I let her get fucking _raped_ , Shiori. Even if she knew I was hurt, she might not _care_."

"Of _course_ she'd _care_ and it wasn't like you _let_ such an event come to passDon't say such things," Shiori cooed as she placed the rag back from whence it came before reaching for the bandages, "And don't worry. She'll love you one day. Who _wouldn't_ love you?"

Blushing slightly, Shiori said no more as she helped him sit up so she could wrap the bandage better around his stomach - trying to ignore the way he was setting his jaw to keep it from trembling or how he seemed to be holding his breath.

"There. All done," she sighed shakily before gathering up her mess and rushing towards the door - refusing to be in his presence a second longer. As she shut the door, she heard him give a faint sniffle before the scent of his tears hit her nose. To be honest, she'd never seen him cry. Not once. In a way, she didn't know if he was even capable of doing it but there he was- his muffled cries breaking her heart as she clenched her eyes shut in pain. He couldn't live like this. It wasn't _fair_. It wasn't _right_. _Something_ needed to be done.

Sango's worried voice carried down the hall a split second before the baku appeared before her like magic - her supernatural speed making the half-demon girl jump and hiss in response before she collected herself.

"Stop _doing_ that," Shiori managed to gasp as she held one hand over her heart and panted, "Why can't you walk like a normal person?! My _god_!"

"He's crying," Sango murmured in a heartbroken voice, "He hasn't cried since our parents died."

"Get the _damn_ girl or _I_ will go over there and drag her over here by her _hair_ ," Shiori hissed angrily as she bared her fangs, "This is so wrong, the word _wrong_ doesn't cover it. It's breaking him. Has broken him. _She's_ broken. They need each other! _Nothing_ is going to get better unless they're together! This is madness!"

"He told me _not_ to bring her. Not even _tell_ her. It's most likely the antidote talking and not him anyway," Sango responded with a dejected sigh, "I can't break my word to him."

"Then _you_ go deal with this mess that _you've_ helped make," Shiori clipped back as she picked up the items she'd dropped and glared at the baku, "I wish the girl had never come here."

" _Funny_. I bet she wishes that _too_ ," Sango retorted coldly, "I'll deal with him. Go do whatever the hell is more important than him."

"How _dare_ you!" Shiori managed to breathe menacingly through clenched teeth, "I'm the _only_ one here caring for him. Where the _hell_ have you been?!"

"Go! _Now_! How dare you talk to me like that?! Who the hell do you think you are?!" Sango bellowed angrily - not caring whether InuYasha heard her or not, "You presume too much and are out of line!"

" _Same_ to you _bitch_ ," Shiori hissed as she stormed off, " _Same_ to you."

Literally vibrating with rage, Sango threw open the door before slamming it behind her to tend to her heartbroken friend. Brushing a stray hair behind her ear, Sango took a calming breath before turning to face the hanyou who didn't even seem to notice she'd entered as he clung to his pillow like it was his only lifeline and poured all his sorrows into it. The cries were muffled as he tried fruitlessly to hide his grief but when Sango moved and gently rubbed soothing circles on his back in an attempt to calm him. When he at last turned to face Sango, he was a picture of grief, loss and devastation. The face of one who had suffered before and didn't know if he could do it again. No matter how pathetic he felt, he trusted her with his vulnerability.

"Oh Inuyasha," Sango breathed as she took a corner of the bedding and gently wiped his tears away, "Don't cry. Everything will be alright."

"Why couldn't things have been _different_?" he sniffled miserably as he averted his watery eyes, "Why did this have to happen to _me_? I hate this. I _hate_ it. I'm so _done_. I don't even know _why_ I'm _crying_."

"I can ask her to come see you," Sango cooed as she gently moved some of the hair out of his eyes, "Would that make you feel better?"

" _No_ ," he huffed shakily – his voice cracking as he continued, "I don't want to scare her, and I _don't_ want her to see me like…like _this_. All bloody and crying like a weak little _bitch_. I just _wish_ she was here. I _wish_ that, but I can't _really_ ask for that now, can I?"

"Yes, you _can_ ask for that. If you want me to bring her, I'll do it. I'll bring her right here, right now. Honestly I'm beginning to think it might have been a mistake to have taken her away," Sango assured him as she gave him a sympathetic smile, "I'll bring her. So, don't cry."

" _Don't_ bring her. I'll _deal_ ," Inuyasha sniffled miserably as he reached up to wipe the tears from his eyes, "I'm just being a big baby. A big, ugly, _pathetic_ baby having a stupid pity party because I've been _poisoned_ and I'm _alone_ and I've been fucking _stabbed_."

"You're not alone. Never will be. Just say the word and I'll bring her. As for the tears, crying can be healing. There's no shame in it," Sango soothed, "It's okay to cry sometimes."

"No, it's _not_ ," Inuyasha laughed shakily as he tried to sit up – grabbing his wounded gut as he tried to steady his back against the wall, "Men only are supposed to cry when someone dies."

"Inuyasha, that's not true and you know it," Sango snorted as she rolled her eyes, "Men can cry whenever the hell they want. There's no rule set in stone."

"Says _you_ ," Inuyasha laughed shakily as he leaned his head against the wall, "If anyone asks, you saw _nothing_ today."

"If anyone asks, no tears were shed this day," Sango swore with an amused grin as she patted his leg affectionately, "Now all you need to worry about is getting better. I'll see whether I can get her to visit, okay?"

"Don't ask. I don't want her to see me like _this_. All pathetic and _weak_ ," Inuyasha chuckled softly as he sniffled lightly before the corners of his lips twitched upwards when he heard Sango's softly muttered response, "What's wrong with that? Everyone is allowed to be weak sometimes. No one is invincible. Even _you_. If you change your mind, let me know. I'll bring her. But, for now, just get some rest."

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Wiping the last tear away with her pinky finger, Shiori looked into the mirror as she tried to compose herself. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't stop loving him and _oh_ , had she tried. After all, he was much older than her – probably about a decade in human years – although that didn't really seem to stop him from loving _her_. Practically speaking, she was the _same_ age as that stupid _bitch_ if not slightly _older_. Maybe she _looked_ alittle younger – she'd always looked younger than she was - but if she were human, she would've been _married_ by now. God _forbid_ she hit two hundred and had never even been _courted_.

A soft knock on her door had the small girl sniffling lightly as she examined herself. Her eyes might be slightly puffy but logically she could blame allergies. There was no way in hell she was going to show weakness in front of that frigid bitch.

"Shiori, I know you're in there," came Sango's soft plea, "Please. I want to talk to you."

"You have nothing more you can say to me," Shiori managed to respond – her voice shaking slightly, " _Unless_ it's to inform me that the girl will be returning and I need to prepare a room."

"Just let me in," Sango pleaded once more, " _Please_."

Rolling her eyes, Shiori patted some of the wrinkles out of her skirt before opening the door and hissing venomously, "How can I help you, _Lady_ Sango?"

"I wanted to apologize for what I said yesterday," Sango began shakily as she moved into the room and sat down on the edge of the small bed, "It was wrong. I know we've never gotten along but I _never_ should have..."

"How long have you known?" Shiori asked quietly after a moment – her arms folded tightly against her chest before she added in a frightened whisper, "Does _he_ know?"

"While Inuyasha has many strengths, emotionally he has the acuity of a child. Rest assured, he has no idea," Sango laughed softly, "As for me, I've known for quite some time."

For a moment there was a tense silence where the two women who came as close to hating someone as either had ever done merely glanced around awkwardly before Shiori spoke up, "So when are you bringing the girl? I need to prepare..."

"I'm _not_ bringing her back. Not yet," Sango replied shakily as she shook her head, "He said..."

"You know, I can't decide if you are the _worst_ person I've ever met," Shiori cut the baku off as she narrowed her eyes, "I've met so many it's hard to remember them all."

"I beg your pardon! What have _I_ done?" Sango hissed angrily as she shot to her feet and jabbed a finger into the much smaller woman's chest, "I came here to try to apologize and…"

" _No_ , you came here to ease _your_ conscience after _you_ dealt a low blow. I bet you haven't even told her he's _hurt_! That he could've _died_. What the hell is wrong with you?" Shiori retorted as she met the slightly paling woman's irate gaze.

"I haven't told her because he asked me _not_ to tell her! I offered to get her and he said no! I don't do these things for myself, I do these things because I fucking care!" Sango snapped as her eyes flashed a deep crimson - her form literally vibrating with rage.

"Oh _please_! You do all these things _not_ because you _care_ but because you want people to _think_ you do," Shiori hissed as she growled menacingly, "On the one hand, you say you're helping people while also doing quite possibly the _worst_ thing for _everyone_ involved despite knowing better! You weave a web of _secrets_ because it makes you feel _powerful_ that people have entrusted you with them. You string along a male who imprinted on you because you want him to do things _your_ way. Everything is a power play. At least those evil bastards that go around making peoples lives miserable have the good sense not to pretend they're something they're not! _Nothing_ you do is for the good of anyone except yourself. You're a self-righteous, _selfish_ person who…"

"You know what, _fuck_ you!" Sango snapped as she pushed the small girl out of the way - fighting the impulse to claw the girl's eyes out, "You know _nothing_ about me. If you know what's good for you, you'll stay the hell out of my way and _never_ talk to me again!"

"That sounds _perfect_ ," Shiori replied as she snorted derisively, "Don't let the door hit you on your way out, _Lady_ Sango."

As soon as the baku was out of sight, Shiori collapsed onto her knees and buried her face in her hands. Well, there went her life here in the palace. There were only so many options for her at this point. _One_ , stay and see how this plays out or _two_ , leave and never come back. Although, there was an option _three_. Perhaps she might still be able to make everyone's lives a little better. Sango was right about one thing and one thing only. It wasn't like anyone _loved_ her. No one would miss her if she was gone. Might not even grieve. She'd stay long enough to do what must be done and not a second longer.


	20. Mirror Mirror

The footpaths were crowded with stalls selling sacks of nuts and dried fruit, or meat roasting on roasting skewers. Powdered spices lay in rust red and dusty yellow piles or spilled bright green from sacks as large as feed bags. Rich and unfamiliar scents cut through the smell of engines, so heavy she could taste them in her mouth, like the air inside a fabrication green house. She'd miss it all. Taking a deep shuddering breath, Shiori walked into the forests surrounding the market. From the shadows stepped, a figure hunched beneath a cloak as black as the night. From the inky folds, the woman extend a withered lily white hand, her long silver hair hanging heavy and obscuring every part of her face.

"I know why you've come," the voice spoke as though her throat was made of sandpaper, her dry lips stretching over her toothless gums, "Tell me. What will you give me in return?"

" _Anything_ ," Shiori whispered quietly, "Just…just fix whatevers broken in her. Make her love him. It's been months. He's suffered terribly and she won't even _talk_ to him. I can't bare to see him like this. It's wrong so...so _whatever_ you need to fix this."

"To do so, I require your soul," the witched crooned as she withdrew a strange mirror, "Repairing a broken soul and forcing someone to love another requires much energy after all."

The mirror had that patina of age over the bronze frame, likewise the surface of the glass was splotched black in places and as Shiori took a shuddering breath, she nodded once before staring into the mirror. Instantly, the blood in her veins ran cold as a silvery mist escaped her lips and her eyelids grew heavy. She tried tensing against the sudden shaking of her limbs, trying to suppress the instinctive struggle against force drawing out her very essence. The air shimmered around her and the strength in her legs threatened to give out when suddenly, the force was gone and as she tried to clear her foggy mind, a vicious snarl drew her attention back on the mirror only to see it fall to the ground and shatter into a million pieces.

Furrowing her brow in confusion, Shiori cast unfocused eyes upward at the fearsome fight that appeared to be going on. A male, not much older than herself, was angrily tearing the witch to shreds with a feral ferocity – his eyes burning a vibrant crimson before he thrust his hand into the woman's chest and ripped out her still beating heart. Tossing it unceremoniously to the ground as the witch turned to ash, it took a moment for his eyes to fade back to their natural emerald before his head whipped in Shiori's direction and he let out a shuddering sigh of relief before his face contorted in rage.

"Are you fucking _insane_?!" he hissed as he rushed over to the half-demon's side and gripped her arm tightly, "What the _hell_ is wrong with you?! Like there was any way in _hell_ that I'd _ever_ let you do something so stupid! If I was a second later, I would've lost you forever! How could you do it?!"

"Wait, like I'd let you? Forever? What…what are you talking about?" Shiori muttered in a confused tone as she stared up at him with clouded eyes, "Who are you?"

"I'm the asshole who just saved your sorry ass and the one who's not going to allow his mate to do something so god damn stupid!" the wolf bellowed angrily before blanching and releasing her arm like it burned him - his eyes growing wide as he ran his claws through his ebony tresses and huffed in frustration, "Wait, that came out wrong. I'm, uh…"

Blinking sluggishly, Shiori stayed where she sat on the ground as her foggy mind tried to make sense of what just happened as the man sighed shakily and folded his arms tightly across his chest, "I know I'm not your mate and I know it sounds crazy. You probably have no idea who I am. Wouldn't recognize my face if you passed by, much less know my name. But…but…I imprinted on you _decades_ ago but I never did anything because I'm a lord and you're a servant and I'm _ridiculously_ shy and…

"Wait, what?" Shiori muttered stupidly as she stared up at the wolf demon with wide eyes – her mind still reeling, still feeling weak from the force of the spell, "You imprinted on me?"

"Yes," the wolf lord huffed in frustration as he folded his arms across his chest and arched his brow in a silent question - his face burning a deeper crimson than Shiori could ever remember seeing in her life as he fidgeted and mumbled hopefully, "So will you be my mate?"

"After you tell me, you been ignoring me for decades because I'm a servant?" Shiori laughed in a half-crazed manner – trying and failing to wrap her mind around what was happening, "What do you honestly expect me to say?"

"Yes. You say yes," he replied a little too cockily before his face fell and he grimaced at the look of utter indignation on her face. Backpedaling was never his strong suit but the words fell from his lips before he could stop them, "No, no, _wait_. I didn't mean that. You'd, um...would you will allow me to court you. Would you, um, be amenable to, uh, joining me for dinner tonight?"

As Shiori stood there, utterly bewildered and more than a little put off by his way of approaching her, she seriously considered telling him to shove his declaration up his ass and leave her alone. However, the more she thought about it. The more she thought about what she had been about to do and why. The more she considered what she knew about imprinting. The more she watched his squirm and blush furiously. It was all to easy for her to genuinely smile as she unsteadily got to her feet- watching the man before her struggle not to rush to her side to assist in favor of cowering beneath her gaze.

"Let's try again, shall we?" she offered in a quiet tone as she brushed some of the dirt off her skirt, "Let's forget what you just said, what just happened and meet each other again. My name is Shiori, Mistress of House Tsukiko. Who might you be?"

"I am Ginta, son of Lord Koga, and heir to House Ketsueki," the wolf responded shakily before swallowing thickly and offering her an apologetic grimace, "I, uh, thank you for overlooking my super awkward proclamation."

"Well," Shiori began with a knowing smile, "to be fair, I only just met you and I was about to do something pretty dumb. Like I said, let's start over."

"At least let me explain then since all of this is completely out of the blue," Ginta sighed in relief before taking a steadying breath and trying again, "Every three days you visit this market at noon. Every. Three. Days. So, every three days I have _waited_ for the past few decades trying to find the courage to even _talk_ to you. I know that's kinda creepy but...but...okay, just don't judge me too much? So, um, anyway, Today, I'm going about my day stalking you like normal, I see you talking to a _witch_ instead of merchants. Offering up your _soul_ for some other asshole to find happiness. Nothing had ever terrified me so much in my life and I snapped. I wasn't _thinking_ , and the words just kinda came out. But god damn, you scared the _shit_ out of me. That was stupid, Shiori. That was really _stupid_."

"I'd be stupid not agree with you there. I'm glad you stopped me," Shiori laughed before giving him a coy smile, "Every three days, huh?"

Nodding meekly, Ginta awkwardly rubbed his arm and averted his eyes as he fidgeted slightly, "So, um, would you like to have dinner with me tonight? There's a, uh, place in this village that, um, I think you might like. They, uh, have some really good, um, dried fruit things...because I know you, uh, like, um, _fruit_ and...uh, you know...other stuff."

"You're the one who's been paying for the dried cherries, haven't you?" Shiori giggled as she gave him a bright smile when he nodded and gave her a shy smile, "You know I've always wondered why the merchant never charged me anything. Every time I came to fetch our order, there'd be a bag of those on top but it never appeared on the bill."

"You, um...for a few years, you'd get them every time you came," Ginta admitted quietly as the faint blush on his cheeks erupted into a deep crimson, "Ate the entire bag as you walked around but then one day, I noticed that you stopped buying them and started using your money to buy candy for the younger children that he'd taken in. No more cherries. You still looked at them, wanted them but I realized you were using your stipend elsewhere, to make others happy, and so, to make you happy, I, um, paid for them in advance."

"What else have you done?" Shiori asked curiously, "Were you the one who started sending toys? The note said they were donations but all of them were new."

Nodding, Ginta somehow managed to turn an even deeper shade of red before managing to stutter, "Heard you ask him for money so you could buy some after a council meeting. He said yes but I, uh, thought I could help out too because it seemed important to you."

"How many decades have you loved me?" Shiori asked after a moment. Taking a deep breath, he held up two fingers before grinning when he saw her smiling at him.

"You know, dinner would be lovely, but I need to make sure he can spare me first," Shiori admitted with a somewhat resigned sigh. Instantly, he shook his head and grinned, " _I'll_ go ask him. I mean, I probably _should_ anyway if I'm going to start courting you. You know, tradition says you need to ask the head of the House. _I'll_ do it and if he says no, I'll just sneak you out anyway. Fuck him."

Laughing happily, Shiori merely rolled her eyes before blushing when he offered her his arm, "Would you take a walk with me while you complete your errands? You can tell me about your life and I'll tell you mine. Anything you want to know."

"I'd like that," Shiori murmured quietly as she took his arm and grinned up at him, the sting of her earlier heartbreak fading and more fascinating still, the older scars that remained felt like they were healing too, "I'd like that very much."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Did she get out of bed today?" InuYasha asked quietly - his hand idly rubbing his still somewhat sore stomach -after all the other lords and ladies left the meeting leaving him alone with his closest friend. Nodding glumly, Sango sighed heavily and rested her chin on her hand, "She's getting better and at the same time she's not. She started eating normally again but she basically just sits and stares out of the window all day before heading back to bed."

"That's a relief," Inuyasha murmured quietly as he tidied up the proposals in front of him before wincing as that simple action caused pain to shoot through his stomach. Sighing heavily and wincing herself at the flash of pain that flitted across his face, Sango finally stated in a tone that left no room for argument, "I'm going to tell her you got hurt."

"Don't you do it," Inuyasha huffed exasperatedly before adding in a somewhat amused if not melancholy tone, "If she shows up, I'm going to be pissed. She doesn't need to know how fucking pathetic I am."

"What do you _want_ me to do?" Sango groaned miserably as she waved helplessly at nothing, "Just _tell_ me. You say don't bring her but I know you _hope_ I do. However, if I _actually_ do, you'll be mad at me and will refuse to see her. _What_ do you want me to do?"

"Make sure she gets better," he replied with a gentle laugh before sending his friend a sheepish grin, "I want her to smile when she sees me."

"She _would_ smile if she saw you," Sango huffed in frustration as she buried her face in her hands, "Just let me tell her you were _hurt_."

"Not hurt anymore," Inuyasha sighed heavily as he gently pried the baku's claws away from her face, "All telling her would do now is scare her. Make her paranoid. I want her to smile at me. To...to feel comfortable around me. Not to be afraid that something might hurt her. Besides, she is getting better, right?"

" _Yes,_ she's getting _better_ ," Sango huffed as she bit her lip. The fight with Shiori had made her reassess her actions and self-loathing was eating away her resolve. So it was that Sango closed her eyes and admitted shakily, "Every day that passes I feel like I've been wrong all along, that I _am_ wrong. That it was a mistake. That I should've made her stay with you or...or _something_."

"You're not doing anything _wrong_. It's just a fucked up situation and you're doing the best you can. Besides, she can't love me if she doesn't love herself. That's just how things work," Inuyasha soothed before blushing slightly as he reached into his haori and removed a small envelope, "I, uh, wanted to change you being the messenger anyway. Can you give this to her? So, she gets to know me."

"That's very sweet," Sango murmured as she took the envelope before furrowing her brow and sniffing it, "Is this _scented_?"

"I, uh... _maybe_ ," Inuyasha replied awkwardly - his faint blush turning into a burning crimson as he huffed and averted his eyes, "Thought it'd make her happy if it smelled good."

"Who _are_ you?" Sango snorted as she tucked the envelope into her kimono, "Like _seriously_ , you're freaking me out. Where is the confident, foul mouthed asshole we've all come to know and love? You're writing _scented_ love letters. Acting like a lovesick puppy. You _cried_..."

"I will _destroy_ you if you ever mention that last one again," Inuyasha clipped back - his eyes narrowing in a non-verbal threat while the corners of his lips twitched upwards, "Or at _least_ , I'll go over there and bust down that fancy door of yours."

" _Please_ don't bust down my door," Sango groaned as she rolled her eyes and pouted, "It's a _really_ nice door. I had it custom painted."

"Fuck you," Inuyasha sneered as a smirk played on his lips, "I'll bust down the door if I feel like busting down the damn door."

"Fuck you right back," Sango snorted as she released his hand and stretched her arms over her head, "You bust down my door and I'll plant my foot so high up your ass you'll never get it out."

"Like to see you try," Inuyasha retorted before sighing and looking down at his papers dejectedly, "I hate this fucking appointment. Nothing ever gets done and no one listens to me. Apparently killing three heads of house does not make friends or influence people."

"Oh _please_ , they never liked you anyway. Or me for that matter," Sango snorted as she patted his back and stood to leave, "You knew they weren't going to agree to anything you put forward and you knew they'd sabotage any proposal. Why are you upset over it?"

" _Because_ we need to make some changes and honor our commitments. I can't reinstate anything unless I have a two-thirds quorum, which _conveniently_ I've never had since I took office. All my proposals have no effect and can't even be put to a vote. Plus, I've been getting more and more complaints recently as my predecessor unilaterally ended treaties with every human and non-royal demon tribe because all these bastards are too _cheap_.Sooner or later, it's going to come bite us in the ass. Anyway, what you are doing for lunch?" he asked as he stood up and collected the papers he'd arranged in a neat pile, "I was thinking of heading down to the market and getting something from a street vendor. Get out and clear my head. Wanna come?"

"Oh my god, _yes_ ," Sango laughed as she rolled her eyes, "Miroku has been trying to eat with me every _fucking_ day and I _cannot_ handle him grabbing my ass today. Pervert is getting on my last nerve."

"Still not giving him a chance, huh?" Inuyasha teased before snorting outright as Sango retorted, "Not in your life"

"Well things _could_ be worse for me," Inuyasha sighed as they made their way out - giving her a side eyed glance and a wicked grin, "I could be _him_."

Instead of a reply, the baku merely smacked him upside the head making him laugh, _really_ laugh, for the first time in months.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Nothing had ever surprised Inuyasha more than arriving in the village and seeing the heir to House Ketsueki fawning over Shiori who was blushing under the attention. Elbowing Sango in the ribs, he pointed in their direction before whispering, "I'll be damned. Yet another man has fallen prey to the joy of imprinting. Bastard seems to be having more luck than the rest of us, don't you agree?"

As Ginta paid for a small blue flower before lovingly tucking it behind Shiori's ear, his head whipped towards Inuyasha while his eyes widened in sheer panic before he took Shiori's hand and gently pulled her towards the hanyou.

"Um, Lord Inuyasha, I, uh, Ginta of, uh, House Ketsueki, ask for, um, your permission to, uh, court Mistress Shiori," Ginta breathed anxiously as his grip on Shiori's hand tightened and he looked like he was about to pass out. Chuckling lightly, Inuyasha sent him a curious look before asking outright, "You imprinted on her, didn't you?"

"Um, yes sir...about two decades ago," Ginta admitted sheepishly as Inuyasha's amber eyes nearly bugged out of his head.

"Holy _fucking_ shit! How did you _live_?!" Inuyasha snorted as he grinned and shook his head before yipping when Sango smacked him upside the head. Rubbing the sore spot, Inuyasha smirked as he turned back towards the wolf demon who looked like he was about to piss himself, "You have my blessing. I get it. _Believe_ me I _get_ it. Just give her notice so she can make sure someone is handling her duties and if you move to make her your mate, all I ask is that you give her time to train someone new."

Nodding enthusiastically, Ginta sent the embarrassed looking Shiori a breathtaking smile before they both turned to walk through the various stalls as Inuyasha and Sango watched them go.

"Lucky bastard," Inuyasha muttered miserably before sighing heavily as he gave Sango - whose eye was twitching slightly as she sat her jaw so tightly muscles were jumping - an imploring stare, "See, that's what _should_ happen. Look I want _that_. See how she's smiling, how she's thrilled someone loves her? I want Kagome to look at me that way."

It was hard for Sango to open her mouth to respond to him at all. More than anything, Sango wanted to march right up to that little bitch who was so self righteous just last week and rip a new one for being a hypocrite for judging _her_ when she was _actively_ leading on an imprinted male but thought better of it. They _never_ did and never _would_ get along but Shiori wasn't the worst person she'd ever had the displeasure of meeting. Then again, Sango had met _so_ many people in her lifetime it was hard to remember them _all_.


	21. And Be Grateful Too

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just realized I switched chapter 20 and chapter 21. Forgive me.

With a huff of frustration, Sota crossed off another village on the much work map he'd purchased to help narrow down the places she might be. Luckily, quite a sum had been given to his, uh, _sperm donor_ when he'd sold off his two sisters like their lives meant nothing. Shortly after he'd slain his father, word had reached him that his mother had flung herself off a cliff and perished in the sea below. The only living family he now possessed was Kagome and she too was lost to him. Taking a shuddering sigh, he lovingly rolled up the map before exiting the inn and finding his horse. He needed to stop searching _human_ villages. Such a waste of time. A fools hope that his sources were mistaken and she wasn't at the mercy of demons - although human men were _more_ than capable of being just as _evil_.

As he left yet another village, he took a moment to admire the countryside that stretched before him like a great quilt of golden, brown and green squares. Fall was on the horizon. She'd been taken in the late winter. Snow fell on their village week after she left, after Kikyo left this world for, he could only hope, a better place. The bastard had been struck down in early spring - he could rot in hell for all the boy cared. Mother killed herself beginning of the summer. And still no sign of Kagome. Not a single person who'd seen anyone matching her description or knew where to even begin looking.

"You there," came a soft hiss from the shadows cast by on overhanging thatch roof, "You said you're looking for a girl? Taken by demons?"

"Yes," Sōta began slowly as he narrowed his eyes and registered a faint demonic aura, "Aren't you a demon?"

"Don't say it so loud _asshole_!" came another hiss before a scaly hand beckoned his closer, "My brother was killed by a great demon lord after he'd gone on a journey to procure a certain lady who came from a fisherman's village. Two technically, two mikos but the sister was struck down. That matches your story. I want to help."

"Why should I trust anything you have to say?" Sota clipped back as he narrowed his eyes, "Why help me?"

"I want to see that palace burned to the _ground_ ," the man hissed back - the pupils in his yellow serpentine eyes narrowing into barely visible slits, "The half-demon who owns her killed my uncle and my brother is dead. All over some lousy piece of ass. I'm done."

"As you can see, I have no army and no way to burn a demon palace to the ground," Sota huffed in frustration, "What would you have me do?"

"I'll be a spy of _course_ ," the demon hissed as he rolled his eyes, "Convey whether or not the girl's alive. Where she's being held. As for an army, if you travel three days towards the mountains, you'll find one. They're planning to storm the fortress in several months time. Humans tired of living under Western demonic rule. The general's daughter has been taken like your sister. Killed in a gruesome way. Split clean in half when she was impaled on a spike. Tell him your story. That she might be alive and he'll do it for free. All I want for payment is to bring an end to their pathetic regime."

"What does this half-demon look like?" Sōta asked after a moment, "The one who keeps her?"

"Wears red a lot," the serpentine demon hissed with a wicked smile, "Silver hair, gold eyes, dog ears. Rumor is he's imprinted on her."

"Imprinted?" Sōta repeated dumbly, "What the hell is that?"

"Basically when a demon claims someone as their property," the snake lied seamlessly, "That the woman is theirs to plunder and theirs alone. He's quite vicious. It will be hard to take her away from him."

"I owe her at least an attempt to do so," Sōta replied coldly as he nodded once in appreciation, "I hope your story holds water."

"Of course it does, _fool_ boy!" The snake hissed before huffing in frustration, "If you'll excuse me I need to get out of here before someone sees me. I'm no good to you if I'm _dead_."

**XXXXXXXX**

The mountain path ahead was loose rock, each one washed smooth by the river that once ran freely over them. Sōta braced his feet, attempting to guard against the inevitable rolling in random directions, but his ankles tumbled left and right regardless. His horse was tied down some distance below but the rumor was this army was just over the ridge and he wanted a good look at it before he approached. For all he knew, they were bandits who he'd rather die than allow them to even lay eyes on his sister.

Dark green boughs arched over the path from each side, competing for the light. Under their dappled shade the harshness of the midday sun was muted but it did little to make the steep incline any easier. As he arrived on the ledge, he took a moment to catch his breath before glancing over the edge. There they were. A respectable army. Flags of the various villages and fortresses he'd come across on his way here flying proudly as men walked to and fro. Taking a steadying breath, the boy made his way back down before mounting his horse and making his way towards them. It didn't take long for a scout to spot him.

"You there! What business do you have here?" a middle aged man bellowed as he nocked an arrow and aimed, "Be quick about it lest you be a half-wit."

"My sister was taken to a demon fortress," Sōta answered in kind as he held his head up proudly, "I have come to join your ranks."

"How you know they have her?" the man asked suspiciously- the arrow still nocked at the ready, "Where did you get that information?"

"A silver haired demon has imprinted on my sister," Sota bellowed back as he huffed in frustration, "And my source was a demon who lives in the palace. He too wanted them gone. Told me where to find you."

"They know we're here," the man asked shakily as he lowered the bow and slid down the rock face, "Come. You must tell us everything."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Leaning back, the general ran his hand over his face before sighing heavily, "One thing you should be grateful for is that he imprinted on her, if indeed that is the case. Hopefully, that mitigated some of the real atrocities she might have faced otherwise."

"I was told imprinting meant she was his property," Sota scoffed indignantly as he threw his hands up in frustration, "Why should I be grateful for that!?"

"Quite the contrary," the general laughed humorlessly, "If the stories are true, if anyone is property of the other, he's hers and hers alone. That being said, to be loved by a demon is hell enough in itself. Their kind have _very_ different ideas on love."

"So what happens if she _doesn't_ love him back?!" Sota hissed angrily - the knowledge that Kagome's circumstances might not be quite as dire as he imagined initially taking some of the bite out of his tone, "What would happen then?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure. Perhaps he would force himself on her or perhaps he would let her be. There's no way to predict it. Not much is known on the phenomenon," the general admitted with a heavy sigh, "You must understand. Demons live by a different set of customs. One thing is true. She's probably _beyond_ saving."

As Sota let out a shuddering breath and clenched his eyes shut, the General continued, "Our people have lived within the domain of the Western lands for millennia. Typically they've left us alone but over the past several decades, they've been abducting more and more of our women. Instead of the food stipends that were traditionally given, no food has been delivered in over fifty years. Their protection is non-existent and we have been plagued by lesser demons not under their control who raid and pillage our villages. Despite all this, they still demand payment of taxes merely for being part of the Western Lands. It is time for us to rid ourselves of their supposed reign over us. It is time we fight or die for our independence and enter a new age. Join us."

"What of my sister?" Sota asked wearily, "If I join you, will you allow me to retrieve her? To at least attempt to save her?"

"The story needs to be verified," the general responded with a bob of his head, "We have several human spies within the castle walls. We shall inquire as to the conditions she faced upon arrival and consider your proposal from there. If it is determined that she has chosen to love one of their kind, her fate will be the same as theirs."

Letting out a shuddering breath, Sota nodded once before asking quietly, "What can I do to assist?"

"Travel across the western lands, perhaps," the general mused as he sent the boy a curious look, "We need someone to spread our message. Searching for your sister would be a perfect excuse to meet with headmen and present our position."

"When do we move?" Sota sighed as he made his way to his feet, "So I know when to return."

"In three months' time," the general informed him, "The height of harvest. A time when they will least expect resistance."

Nodding numbly, Sota got to his feet, bowed and made his way to the stables.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So, I have a present for you," Sango mumbled as she handed Kagome a _very_ poorly wrapped bundle that looked like a blind child had been assigned the task. No, that would be an insult to blind children everywhere. It looked like a _man_ had wrapped it.

"What is it?" Kagome asked hoarsely as she accepted the oddly shaped bundle and pulled at the twine holding the mass of haphazardly folded fabric together. As the cloth fell away, there in the center lay a beautiful conch shell - a lovely pearl color blending into a soft pink as it curled inwards. Picking it up, Kagome smiled sadly as she ran her finger across one of the smooth edges, "It's a seashell."

"It is indeed a seashell," Sango repeated awkwardly before visibly something clicked in her mind and she laughed as though it just occurred to her, "Because you used to live by the sea."

Sending her friend an amused glance, Kagome shakily held the shell up to her ear and closed her eyes in bliss. There it was. The gentle ebb and flow of the tide. Not exactly but it was enough to be a balm against her ragged nerves.

"I love it," Kagome hummed happily as she placed the shell lovingly back into the hot mess from whence it came, "Thank you."

"I'm glad you like it," Sango replied with a relieved sigh as she sat down next to her friend and gently rubbed small circles on her back, "You seem to be doing much better. You're recovering well."

"I'm getting there," Kagome chuckled lightly before her face fell and she averted her eyes, "I hope I am anyway. Some days are definitely better than others."

"Perhaps some fresh air would help," Sango offered casually, "I would offer to take you but I am just so _busy_. If _only_ there was _someone_ who would be willing to escort you. A tall, strong man perhaps."

"I see what you're doing there," Kagome laughed shakily as she rolled her eyes, "I'll think about it. After all, I should probably thank Inuyasha for his gift in person."

" _What_?" Sango gasped in a falsely offended tone as she place a hand over her heart, " _Whatever_ do you mean?"

For a moment the two woman looked at each other - clearly trying to keep from laughing before they both devolved into a fit of giggles.


	22. Let Me Just Say

Sitting on the bed with her knees pulled tightly against her chest - her chin resting idly atop them, Kagome bit her lip as she gazed longingly at the ever-increasing number of letters growing atop the small table in the corner. At first, she couldn't bring herself to read them - worried they'd be filled with things she wasn't ready to hear but over the past few weeks, her curiosity grew and grew until today. Today was she was going to read them _all_. It seemed only right, after all. If she was going to see him, she needed to at least have taken the time after all the apparent effort he had gone through writing them. Taking a deep steadying breath, Kagome slowly unfurled her stiff legs before making her way across the small space and picking up the most recent with trembling fingers.

_"So, I don't even know if you're reading these. I know I keep sending them and you're probably like just stop already but until you haven't told Sango to tell me not to send them I'll keep writing them. I know it bothered you that you didn't know anything about me and it's important to me that you know things. You know that though from the other letters. Don't know why I keep saying that. ANYWAY, the topic of the day is that one time I thought it would be a good idea to jump into the ocean from a cliff. It didn't occur to me until I hit the water that I didn't know how to swim. Don't know why it never occurred to me until that moment. It seems like a giant miscalculation on my part, but I was young, and I liked this girl at the time and I thought It would impress her. So, there's my dumb ass doing this intricate flip off the cliff that is super high and I do all these acrobatics as I fell and then I hit the water. I would like to say I handled the situation well. I would like to say that, but the truth was I panicked and flailed like a little bitch until Sango jumped in and saved me. Sango told me you used to live by the sea, so you probably know how to swim and that might be important to you. I hope it's not because truth be told, although I know how to swim now, I am a terrible swimmer. Anyway, if it is important to you that I swim well, maybe one day you could help me get better at it. There's a beach not too far away. It's not pretty or anything. Really pebbly but if you wanted to go, it might be fun. Let me know if you'd maybe want to visit. Not to pressure you or nothing. I just thought maybe one day we could go but it's up to you. So that's my story of the day. Sango told me you're doing much better and that makes me happy. And now I need to go because Shiori is riding my ass about meeting with these people who came seeking an audience about something. Hope you have a good day. - InuYasha."_

As she finished, the corners of her lips twitched upwards before scooping up all the letters and bringing them onto the bed. Reaching for the nearest one, she scooted up the bed until her back hit the wall and began to read.

_"So today I had to meet with House Sakura. They oversee farming in the northern part of the Western Lands. Apparently, there's a drought and they want me to go up there to visit but I don't see how that'd help them. I am the farthest thing from a farmer. I know nothing about growing plants or how to keep them alive, but they want me to go up there and meet with their village headman, so I'll be doing that beginning of the fall. Other than that, not much is new, so I'll move on to the topic of the day which is street vendors. There's a market on the outskirts of the palace grounds where people go to sell their goods which is obvious because that is the literal definition of a market. Anyway, there's this one guy who makes the most delicious pickled radishes. Literally the best thing I have ever eaten. Love me some radishes. One day you'll have to tell me your favorite food. If it's also radishes, then all this imprinting will start making sense. That's destiny. I know imprinting confuses the hell out of me, so it must be confusing to you too but seriously, do you like radishes? This is important. - InuYasha."_

Snorting slightly, Kagome grinned down at the letter and almost considered writing back that radishes weren't her favorite she did enjoy eating then before frowning when she noticed the date on the top. This was written months ago. Sighing heavily, Kagome almost gave up on reading anymore entirely before a determined look came over her face and she got up, grabbed a piece of parchment Sango had left for her, and the charcoal pencil before sitting down and beginning a list.

_"I beg your forgiveness for not responding sooner. I must admit I didn't read your letters until very recently. To make it up to you, I promise to write a response to each letter you've sent me. Let me say this too before you read them. I'm just a common girl with common thoughts from a common village. There is a part of me that is afraid that you won't love me when you find out I'm nothing special. In all honesty, there is very little that sets me apart from any other. I have found the confidence, however, by how honest you have been with me and so I will be honest with you as well._

_1) Please visit me when you have some time. I'd really like that._

_2) Despite being from a village by the sea, I am a terrible swimmer too. It was too cold where I'm from to go swimming and too many fisherman's nets to get tangled up in. I love the sound of the sea though. I really loved the seashell you gave me. Yes, I figured out it's from you. You mentioned the pebbly beach. I'd like to see it one day but not right now. In the summer would be nice._

_3) I'm sorry to inform you that radishes are not my favorite food, but I don't hate them. My favorite food, which might not come as a surprise being where I'm from, is actually raw oysters. Do you like raw oysters? This is important."_

Nodding once, satisfied that she'd articulated a proper response to the two letters she'd read so far, she grinned before reaching for another and continuing the process.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Dozens of bonsai trees lined the perfect lawn in their carved wooden boxes. In the center, just up ahead, was a pond as large as a small lake with flowering lily pads and a wooden bridge that crossed the middle so one could look down at the koi carp. The flower beds that sat beneath the tall hedges that spread through the grounds like a labyrinth were a riot of beautiful colors. It was a perfect way to spend an early spring afternoon, a perfect place to visit but also where anyone who wanted to find her knew where to go.

"Ah Lady Sango," Kagura sighed as her lips formed an arrogant smirk as she gave the baku a once over, "I must say. You've _aged_."

"Lady Kagura," Sango replied tersely as she glared wearily at the woman - her ebony hair pulled back in an elaborate bun, a single ornamental feather tucked just above her ear, her magenta kimono hugging her body so tightly it was a wonder the bitch could even breathe. Putting on her most superior look, Sango bit back, "I was wondering why the birds suddenly quit singing."

"Aren't you clever?" Kagura scoffed as she rolled her eyes and huffed impatiently, "I'm here about the girl."

"What do you want Kagura? Your House relinquished all claims to Kagome months ago," Sango clipped back harshly as she narrowed her eyes, "You have _no_ right to..."

"Relax, I'm not here to take her away," Kagura snorted and she folded her arms across her chest and struck an arrogant pose, "I have some concerns I wanted to inform you about. Like a boy just south of my native village has recently been trying to find his long-lost sister. Supposedly her name was also Kagome. Quite a coincidence, don't you think?"

"Why should I believe _anything_ you have to say?" Sango hissed as she narrowed her eyes and bared her fangs, "All you've ever done is try to manipulate everyone around you. Why would this be any different?"

"Well seeing as how my brother was the cause of her current level of trauma, I thought I'd offer an alternative. A way back to where she belongs if you will," Kagura responded coolly as she lazily tapped her fan against her lips, "You don't have it in you to hurt him though, do you? Sending her away would be a death sentence to him and yet you stand there self-righteous as always. Why care if the girl might be happier elsewhere?"

"I don't believe you have a compassionate bone in your body. Everything you just said is self-serving. You just want the reminder of your brother gone," Sango clipped back angrily as she narrowed her eyes, "Now leave! You're not welcome here!"

"Where? The _communal_ garden?" Kagura chuckled before rolling her eyes, "Whatever. Don't come crying to me when she finds out on her own."

As the ebony haired woman sauntered off with an arrogant stride in her step, Sango groaned and closed her eyes as she continued down the path. That woman always knew how to get under her skin but she wasn't going to share anything with that hag. In truth, she had already heard the rumors herself and conveyed them to Kagome but the miko would hear none of it. Her family was as good as dead to her, what remained of it anyway. Why would she ever want to return to those who watched as she and her sister were dragged away? It wasn't worth the risk to return only to be sold again. Still, Kagura sure as hell didn't need to know any of that.

"Sango," InuYasha breathed as she rounded the hedges and entered their traditional meeting spot, "How is she? Is she asking about me? I brought some more seashells. I thought she might like them. I found more at the market and a hair comb and..."

"She's well," Sango sighed awkwardly as she accepted the gifts before placing them at her feet and glancing up to see him eagerly awaiting any news of his love, "Doing much better than she was last month anyway. Not crying as much and eating more."

Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head as he averted his eyes and his fists clenched by his side so tightly his knuckles went white, "She still isn't asking to see me, is she?"

"I didn't say that," Sango sighed as she gave him a sympathetic look, "Why don't you come visit, hm? Maybe take her on a walk in the gardens?"

"If she doesn't even _ask_ to see me why would I go through the trouble?" he spat back acidly, "She's probably going to leave _anyway_. I _know_ you've heard the rumors."

"So Kagura approached you too I take it," Sango sighed as he nodded glumly before offering him a small smile, "I talked with her about them and she flat out refused to hear about such things. She doesn't want to leave and again, I _never_ said she _wasn't_ asking to see you."

A single ear began to timidly lift as he glanced at her hopefully, "So, you really think if I visited, she'd like it? You think she's finally ready?"

"I think so," Sango agreed with a happy hum - knowing full well that the girl had wanted to surprise him and also knowing full well that he would break down her door to get to the miko if she told him ' _yes_ ' flat out, "I'll ask her about it and let you know."

"I'm traveling for the next four weeks or so anyway," InuYasha sighed heavily as he ran his fingers through his hair, "Apparently it's part of my duties to look over the farmlands in the north."

"When you get back then?" Sango offered with a sly smile, "I'll send word to Shiori for when you get back either way."

"She's liked the seashells though?" he asked quietly as he bit his lip before rolling his eyes and groaning in frustration, "This is such bullshit! I hate this! When did I get so soft! Fuck! Why did it have to be her!? It could've been anyone. Literally _anyone_ else. Under the worst circumstances in the world, I imprint on her! Just...fuck! Just fuck it. Or _fuck_ her. _God_ , I want that so bad. I _literally_ have spent _so_ many...know what? Never mind! I don't even care and...and you were _no_ help at all! You just told her to come live with you and forget me! Fuck you!"

"Fuck you right back," Sango huffed in exasperation, "Stop putting words in my mouth!"

Sagging in defeat, InuYasha shook his head morosely and folded his arms tightly across his chest, "I'm not... I just...everything about this _sucks_."

"I know. _Believe_ me I _know_. Like I said, I'll leave word with Shiori whether she wants to see you or not," Sango sighed before snorting and rolling her eyes, "If she's around that is. Ginta hangs on her like white on rice."

"I think it's kinda sweet. Never seen her smile so much in the hundred years she's been with me," Inuyasha chuckled slightly before his face fell and he glared at her suspiciously, "You're not just saying that to make me feel better, are you? You will actually ask Kagome if she wants to see me?"

"Of _course_ ," Sango soothed as she reached up to flick one of his ears, "Now stop being so weird. You're freaking me out."

"Well that's what imprinting will do to a demon. Makes us whiny little bitches," Inuyasha mused as she rolled her eyes before sending Sango a wicked grin as he casually added, "I didn't get it before but what you're doing to Miroku is kinda cruel."

"Well it hasn't stopped him from being a complete pervert and he's not throwing gifts at me or trying anything sweet," Sango shot back as she narrowed her eyes and punched her friend lightly in the arm, "All he _ever_ does is try to grab my ass!"

"And all you ever do is punch him when he does," InuYasha teased lightly, "Has it ever occurred to you that he might _like_ it when you hit him? Maybe he's got a kinky side. Try punching him _before_ he gropes you and see where that gets you."

"I could live a thousand years and never understand men," Sango huffed in frustration - her face still a brilliant pink, "If you think it's such a good match, then you talk to him. I can't stand him the way that he is."

"Maybe I will," InuYasha teased, "Although it might just make things worse. Then he'll know you've been talking about him and all hell might break loose."

"Asshole," Sango snorted as she swung for him - easily evaded as he ducked and made to swipe her legs out from under her but was unable to match her speed, "Bitch."

And so, they rough housed - each to alleviate their own frustrations - much like two puppies. Two lethal puppies who thought of the other as the only real sibling either had and ones who knew every weakness of the other.


	23. Let's Not and Say We Did

' _Okay, so this is going to come up. I know it is and I'd rather rip this bandage off early. This is probably too early and I am regretting this as I write but dammit, it needs to be said. I have slept with roughly thirty women. That is a lot. I know that's a lot. And it's super bad that I'm not sure it's not more but as far as I know I don't have any kids which is good. Right? Yeah, that's good. It can be a good thing. When you're ready that is..."_

Grimacing, InuYasha crumpled up the poor piece of paper and threw it as far away from him as possible as though the paper's new distance somehow erased his cringe-worthy awkwardness. That was bad. _So_ bad. Shuddering slightly, he sighed as he reached for a new piece of parchment and laid it out in front of him.

"Let's not bring that up. _Ever_ ," InuYasha grumbled to himself as he chewed the inside of his cheek and tapped the feather end of the quill against his lips. This letter needed to be a good letter if he was going to hand-deliver it not a _let's make you hate me for being an asshole_ letter.

_'I have one more story to tell you. It's the story of the moment I imprinted on you. It might seem silly and confusing but..."_

Someone interrupted his thoughts when they rapped on their knuckles against his door. Closing his eyes, he huffed in exasperation before lolling his towards the door, "Shiori! I don't have to leave until tomorrow! I told you I didn't want to be disturbed today!"

Inhaling deeply to try to calm himself down when the unwanted intruder rapped once more, his amber eyes flew open and he whipped his heads towards the door - his heart beating erratically in his chest and his mind raced a million miles per hour trying to convince himself there was no way his senses were right on this one as his feet took a mind of their own and before he knew it he was opening the door. It took all of two seconds for his mind to process what was happening, even though there she was. Standing in front of him. Honestly, when he had opened the door, despite her scent wafting into his nose, he still couldn't quite believe it was her. For a moment, awkwardness settled on them both like a blanket, an almost tangible tension as they both stared at the other before Kagome let out a shuddering sigh and rushed forward to bury her face in his bare chest. Happiness flowed through him, warming his skin like the rays of an early summer sun while his arms crushed her to him as though he was afraid she might vanish if he let go.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled miserably as she rubbed her cheek against his chest, "I'm _so_ sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" InuYasha managed to chuckle shakily as he buried his nose in her hair and inhaled deeply, "I understood. I did. I do."

"I should've come sooner," Kagome sniffled as she fought back tears - the feeling of being in arms more comforting than words ever could be - before she was reminded of the reason she had come when the piece of paper in her hand crumpled under the pressure of his fist. Taking a shuddering breath, she laughed shakily as she pulled back and unfurled her fist before glancing down at it, "I wrote you back. I thought it was only right I deliver it."

"I'm sorry I wrote so many," he muttered quietly as he scooped her up and quickly took her to the bed before crawling in next to her and pulling her into his lap - wrapping his arms around her waist before realizing she'd tensed up and was trembling slightly. Smacking him upside the head mentally, he buried his nose in the crook of her neck and whispered affectionately, "Sorry. I got too excited. I won't grab you like that again. Please stay while I read it."

Nodding, Kagome tried to force her muscles to unwind as she relaxed against him and handed him the letter. Smiling softly in relief that she was staying with him, that she was here, he gently unfurled the paper before laughing when one paper became two, then three, then four.

"Did you reply all at once?" he snickered slightly before gently resting his cheek atop her head, his free hand once again wrapping around her waist - gently pulling her further into his embrace as he read. They stayed like that for hours. Him reading, murmuring quiet responses to her questions as she replied in kind. When night fell, he reluctantly offered to escort her back to Sango's Hall when she made him the happiest hanyou there ever was by asking whether he would allow her to stay, would he hold her like he did so long ago.

"Like you really need to ask," he muttered playfully as he maneuvered her off his lap until her head was nestled against his bare chest - their legs slightly intertwined, their arms merely holding each other...as she listened to the steady beating of his heart, felt the way his breath fluttered across her skin, the way his chest rose and fell. And there it was. That beautiful feeling that nothing would ever harm her again. The beautiful feeling of being loved.

Morning came all too soon and InuYasha let out a shaky sigh as his groggy mind realized that it hadn't been a dream after all. She was here. After so many months, she had come back. On the god damn day he was supposed to leave for the northern region of the Western land. Closing his eyes, he tried to memorize her scent all over again. Warm like summer, soothing, somewhat floral, but most utterly indescribable. As she squirmed slightly and let out a sigh that told him she too had woken up, he gently pressed his lips to her forehead - relishing in the happy hum she gave in response before nuzzling her as he murmured quietly, "I have to leave for a few weeks. I wish I didn't but..."

"The drought in the north is still bad," Kagome sighed somewhat dejectedly before adding in a somewhat hopeful voice, "Do you want me to come with you?"

"More than _anything_ ," InuYasha groaned before sighing heavily, "But it's too dangerous. There's some rumors that travelers are being attacked. I'll be fine but I don't want to put you at risk. Besides, I'll be back soon. The _second_ I'm back I'll come see you, okay?"

Nodding - her nose gently skimming across his neck sending a shiver down his spine, Kagome sighed happily as she snuggled deeper into his embrace, "Do you have to leave right now?"

"No, guess not," he muttered warmly as his arms squeezed her gently and the corners of his lips twitched upwards, "I'm really happy that you came. That you wanted to see me."

"Should've come sooner," she murmured tiredly as she began drifting off once more, "Should've stayed."

"Doesn't matter," he hummed happily as he closed his eyes and relished in the feel of her in his arms, "You're here now. That's all that matters to me."

Smiling softly, InuYasha felt her heart beating against his chest, the way her breath fluttered across his skin, the way her chest rose and fell. It made him feel like everything was right with the world. Like every bad memory was being washed away with each soft sigh. Letting out a happy hum, his eyes fluttered open when he felt her stir against him and pull back from his embrace. There was nothing he could do to hide the deep groan that forced its way out of his chest when her lips brushed his. Not innocently, like a tease but hot, fiery, passionate and demanding. He knew she didn't love him back, but in that moment, he couldn't find it in him to care. His breathing hastened, the intense rhythm of his heartbeat undergoing an irregular count, hammering quicker than the lightning bolt as her soft fingers gently brushed against his neck before finding their rightful place against his cheek. His skin tingled wherever she touched him and he eagerly returned this show of affection as his arms crushed her against him.

For awhile, their lips merely fought for dominance, making up for the lost time, but eventually, their hands were no long satisfied in stationary positions. Kagome was the first to move, gliding her fingers gently down his neck - taking the time to trace his collarbone before skimming across to gently trace the curves of his back- earning herself an appreciative groan as he followed her example. When they finally broke apart for air, he rested his forehead against hers and gathered some much needed oxygen. His smirk told her everything and she smiled back as she wrapped one arm lazily around his waist. This was how it should've been and when he managed to find the will to move to prepare for his journey, both of them could hardly wait until he returned.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Sota, so you've returned," the general acknowledged - his lips forming a thin line as he moved to greet the young boy, "I have something I wish to discuss with you."

Sending a weary glance at the older gentleman, Sota dismounted his horse and tied it up before following him to his tent. There was something on the general's face that was infinitely sad as he picked up two glasses and a bottle of unidentifiable liquor.

"We have several spies as you know," the general began slowly as he began pouring a glass and held it out to the young boy, "You may be young but this news may warrant a drink."

Trying not to assume the worst, Sota nodded as he accepted the drink and looked expectantly up at the general - his chest heaving erratically as the general began, "There is no good way to say this. Several of our spies have reported that your sister was brutally raped. Tortured. Drugged. Enslaved. That her mind is addled. Further, I believe your source was incorrect when he told you that her captor had imprinted on her. Perhaps you should return home and..."

"That's not an option," Sota hissed angrily as he downed his drink and shuddered at the taste, "I don't care if she's completely insane or not. I don't care if she doesn't even know who she is anymore much less me. I owe it to her to save her from these foul beasts. I will not rest until I do."

"Then you are a better man than most," the general chuckled sadly as he gave the boy a sympathetic look, "It may ease your mind to know that some of our spies are rather bitter. It's quite possible their accounts are exaggerated or even completely falsified. Not that they've ever lied before in their reports but..."

"I knew what she was being sold to become," Sota replied in a tone filled with self-loathing as he closed his eyes in pain, "I knew and did nothing. I imagine their reports, if anything, are toning down the depravity Kagome had been exposed to. All I can hope is that I find her before she becomes expendable."

"We march in five weeks time," the general sighed heavily, "Have you recruited any others to our cause?"

"Four villages to the north and a temple is sending about a hundred spirtual men and women to assist," Sota replied numbly as he placed his glass on the table and got to his feet, "I'm going to travel towards my home and talk to the temple there as well. The more holy men and women on our side, the more likely our victory will be."

"Understood," the general replied as he gave Sota a sad smile, "I hope you find your sister. Truly I do. I'd give anything to have my daughter back."

Nodding in understanding, Sota exited the tent and made his way towards his horse. There was no time to waste. He'd get Kagome if he had to kill every last demon in that palace. Oh, he'd make them all suffer - slowly, painfully, preferably with sharp objects over the course of several weeks.


	24. Let Me Go Home

It is said that Izanagi and Izanami gave birth to the islands and gods of Japan. That upon the death of his beloved Izanami, Izanagi in a fit of grief and rage killed his newborn son for taking her away from him. Out of the spilt blood were born all species and races of demons. One of the most interesting and majestic was that of the Kuraokami – the powerful race of dragons. They were the rain-makers, masters of the wind and sky and from that proud line, came Miroku.

As the steady rain fell the clouds as it had every day for the past week, the two men sat under the covered porch outside the inn out looking out over the fields which were finally starting to perk up. The soil that had been baked so hard when they first arrived was now soft with rain water, every step the villagers made causing a temporary puddle. What was once pale brown was now dark dark and rich - the yellowing plants perking up and glowing a soft green. It wasn't a deluge by any means. More soft and polite as it gently fell blessing the much abused earth in an almost comforting caress. Closing his amber eyes, Inuyasha inhaled deeply as his muscles relaxed and his lips twitched upwards as he listened to the drops as they hit the ground.

"You know, I always loved the scent of rain," the hanyou admitted as he inhaled deeply once more and sighed, "Makes everything smell so clean."

"I must admit that I've grown tired of the scent of rain," Miroku chuckled lightly as he stretched his arms above his head - sending his friend an amused look, "If you could do what I do, my friend, you too would grow tired of it."

"Don't doubt that I would" Inuyasha sighed bemusedly before casting a side-eyed glance at his friend, "You're heading off then? You sure you don't want to come with me to the next village?"

"Alas, I would not," the dragon chuckled lightly as they both got to their feet, "It's hard work making it rain over acres of land. I'm quite tired. Besides, I have a plan I'd like to put into action. I've taken inspiration from your own actions. I hope they will bear similar results."

"Just don't grab her ass and ruin it," Inuyasha laughed before punching his friend lightly in the arm, "Thanks for coming. I'll see you in two weeks, alright?"

"Two weeks," Miroku agreed before glancing out over the wide plains, "I never come to the north. I must do it more often. It's beautiful in its own way."

Nodding, Inuyasha followed his friend out into the rain. With a sudden gust of wind, where a man had stood mere seconds before now was a mighty dragon – deep translucent sapphire scales adorning its body while steam gently issued from its snout as it quickly took to the sky and soared off into the distance.

**XXXXXXXXX**

It started with wildflowers - small, powder blue with a white ribbon tied around them. Handed to her one morning before the giver merely walked off without another word. The next morning, he arrived again. This time it was a single lily - a brilliant yellow, flawless... _perfect_. For the next week, every morning a different simple bouquet of flowers, each morning he merely handed it to her before leaving without another word.

Today, however, it was a note written in an elegant hand. A piece of intricately folded tan parchment filled to the brim with dried and pressed cherry blossoms that floated lazily onto her lap when she unfolded it.

 _"I love you_ ," it read, " _I love how you blush when you hear compliments, your modesty adorns you. I love your endless optimism and kindness. I love how my heart skips a beat when you enter the room. I love how you think no one notices the way you doodle instead of paying attention during council meetings because you've already read all the proposals, formed an educated opinion and will not be swayed. That you have such strong convictions about how things should be. That your friends truly look to you for guidance. That you have no problem saying exactly how you feel. That you take your tea with honey. That you crinkle your nose when you're annoyed. That you hum to yourself when reading. That you eat carrots like candy. That you could take down an army of demons by yourself. I love how, at first, I didn't know why I loved you and now, most importantly, I love that I will never give up on loving you. You are my inspiration. So, for you I am ready to change and become better than I am. It's time I show I deserve you and to give you the love you deserve."_

"Oh god dammit," Sango sniffled in an amused tone as tears welled up in her eyes and she let out a shuddering breath. Gently running her finger under her eyes to catch the droplets before they fell, the baku gently folded up the parchment and tucked it into her pocket before getting to her feet and following his scent. When she found him, it was in the center of the garden with a nervous smile on his face and, of course, another bouquet of flowers.

"I, uh, want to try to, um, court you properly," Miroku began awkwardly as Sango took the flowers from him and cooed over the vibrant blossoms, "To do what I should've done from the beginning."

"About time," Sango laughed shakily as she gave him a curious smile, "Does everyone notice I doodle or just you?"

"Not sure to be honest. Most of the others in the room look forward to debating the latest topic of business whereas I merely look forward to the drawing of the day," Miroku chuckled softly as he offered her his arm, "Would you consider taking a walk around the gardens with me? I promise not to do anything untoward."

Nodding gently, Sango gently took his arm and true to his promise, he was nothing but a true gentleman for the rest of the afternoon.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Happiness was in everything lately. For the couple taking advantage of the nice weather, happiness was a hammock swinging gently as they held each other in their arms and dozed. Happiness was the small flower tucked gently behind her ear. Happiness was the small lunch she had prepared and that they had shared on the bank of the small river that ran beside the palace. Happiness was the way his smile made butterflies bloom in her stomach and the way her laugh made his heart skip a beat. Happiness was the way her translucent hair changed into a rainbow when caught the sunlight in just the right way and the way he blushed when she held his hand. Happiness was the way he arrived early and the way they stayed out late. Happiness was the way he'd help her fulfill her duties so she could leave with him sooner. Happiness was the way she would say something clever and the way she'd cast a side-eyed glance at him to make sure he caught the joke. Happiness was the way he always did. Happiness was the way he always hummed happily when she pressed her lips to his and the way she sighed when he ran his fingers through her hair. Happiness was the way his father rolled his eyes and teased about getting a room. Happiness was the way his mother cooed over her and wanted to have tea. Happiness is how they didn't look down on her because of her heritage and the way the he was _proud_ to have her by his side. Happiness was the way all of this was so unexpected. Happiness was the way things had changed. Oh yes, happiness was in everything lately. Happiness, for Shiori, was _love_.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

There were many opportunities to pick up on the latest gossip. _So_ many. In particular when all the human servants got together to prep the vegetables for the week. It wasn't their duty every time – the demon servants took every other week – but it was a time to socialize and for the most part, many found it relaxing. As a brunette woman picked up the chopping knife and cut the vegetables into perfect matchsticks in the time it took most people just peel the carrots, one of the other servants picked that opportunity to test the temperature of the room.

"Has that girl come out of her room yet?" a mousy woman asked – an obvious bite in her tone, "Or has she decided to become that demon's whore?"

"Now, now Chiyo. That's no way to talk about her," one of the woman chided gently, "She's been through quite the ordeal and she could do far worse than agreeing to be the mate of Lord Inuyasha."

"I agree," cooed a middle aged woman before giggling slightly, "It always made me laugh how many letters he wrote to her. I may have read one or two when I was cleaning. They were _very_ sweet. Adorable even."

" _None_ of you have a problem with this?!" the mousy woman scoffed indignantly, "It isn't even her _decision_. Not _really_. She's been _forced_ into this life."

"Just because you have to work for Kagura doesn't mean the rest of us have to hate demons too," the middle aged woman sighed heavily, "Honestly, I've told you a hundred times. I will speak with Lady Sango to bring you into our House. She's more than fair and much kinder."

"I don't _want_ to belong to a House," the mousy woman hissed, "I was sold into this life _same_ as that girl only no one imprinted on _me_ , thank _god_. I can't even imagine."

"Again, Lady Sango will purchase you and free you in the same breath," the middle aged woman sighed once more as she continued peeling vegetables with ease, "It will be your choice whether you stay or not. I live in the village on the outskirts of town with my own children and husband. You _can_ have a life."

"I used to belong to House Raiden," a younger woman with ebony haired agreed with a relieved sigh, "Talk about being grateful. Lady Sango purchased me and I was free of the Thunder Brother's sick games. Now I'm free to do as I please, more or less, without the fear of being abused."

"More or less," the mousy haired woman hissed, " _Everything_ is more or less. We're _slaves_. _You_ may have more freedom than most but we're _slaves_ to a demon's whims."

"Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. We're not _slaves_ , we do get _paid,"_ the younger ebony haired woman snorted as she reached for another potato, "I swear, if I didn't know better I'd think you'd want this whole place to burn, but then where would you be?"

"Did you not listen to a _word_ I just said? _I_ was _sold_. _I_ don't get _paid_ ," the mousy haired woman clipped back as she angrily ripped the onion in her hands to shreds, "Don't act like you're _not_ a slave when you admit to being _purchased_ yourself _._ That you had to be _freed_. All I want is to one day be free of demons altogether and you're _fools_ if you say otherwise. Without them, we'd all be _free_."

As the other servant women exchanged nervous glances, they quickly changed the conversation in a more pleasant direction leaving the mousy haired woman to sulk by herself. Little did they know she was relaying information to an army and her utmost goal in life was to see every last demon burned at the stake.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The first sign that something was wrong should've been the general stench of fear, death and illness that hung over the village like a cloud. That should've been the first sign that he needed to turn back. Instead, he'd made the most idiotic decision of his life and entered the village _anyway_. Within the hour, he'd been told to leave but even that short span of time had been too long.

Launching off his horse, InuYasha stumbled to the stone wall beside the quaint inn he'd happened across. With each unsteady step his stomach bubbled angrily and every muscle in his body screamed in agony. He kept swallowing, and his throat kept clenching, but no matter what he couldn't stop the warm feeling rising through his chest. Within seconds, he could taste the bile in the back of his throat and seconds later, InuYasha doubled over - a burning, clouded, creamy liquid bursting from his mouth, and sizzling as it splashed over the brown earth beneath him. Panting, InuYasha continued trying to brace himself against the wall of the inn before retching and emptying the remaining contents of his upset stomach once more. With a heaving lurch of his stomach yet another small mouthful of bile dribbled from his quivering lips into the waiting pool of rancid vomit. How long he knelt there trying not to pass out he wasn't really sure. The world tilted and spun around him like he was in the world's worst merry go round as he clung to the stone wall like it was his only lifeline.

Trembling, InuYasha managed to force himself upright as he staggered a few steps towards his horse before the strength from his legs gave out and he crumped to the ground – wrapping his arms tightly around his stomach as though that would somehow stop the intense ache that spread throughout his core. Time passed slowly as he heaved- his stomach contracting violently and forcing everything up. By the time he had finished, his hair lay like a second skin over his cheeks and he looked as if he had been caught in a sudden storm.

"I need to get home," he managed to mutter miserably as he shakily got to his feet and made his way to his horse, "I need to get home."


	25. As I Lay Dying

For months this window had been her only connection to the outside world. It was hundreds of years old. _Hundreds_. Accented by dozens of intricately carved with cherry blossoms and koi fish. Still, as much as she loved to look at these patterns, the one thing she wanted to see more than anything else in the world had yet to come retrieve her.

"Isn't he back yet?" Kagome breathed nervously from her customary place on the window seat overlooking the gardens, "He should have been back by now."

"He arrived last night but, um, Inuyasha has fallen ill," Sango muttered sadly as she sat down on the edge of her bed, "He's taken to his room and will not be disturbed. He expressly sent me instructions to keep it from you but I'm _tired_ of playing that game."

Immediately, Kagome's head whipped towards her friend as her sapphire eyes widened in alarm, "Is it serious?"

"There was a plague in the north. It swept through suddenly, and he managed to get caught up in it on his travels," Sango sighed heavily as she flopped back against the futon, "The healer is hastening the evacuation of his servants as we speak and InuYasha has refused to allow my human servants to check on him for fear of it spreading."

"What will happen to him?" Kagome managed to ask in barely more than a whisper before something suddenly occurred to her, "Do you think I'd catch it? You said human servants could check on him so is it a demon illness, I mean. Being human, would I be able to take care of him?"

"The belief is that it is a demonic illness, so yes, _in theory_ , you could but they're not sure," Sango answered with a sad look on her face before turning her face back to the ceiling, "He'll be furious that I told you he's ill. He'd be furious if I allowed you to go see him and then you get sick."

"Well I'm _furious_ he told you not to tell me! That's stupid! He's so _stupid_!" Kagome huffed - missing Sango's grimace and the way she subtly withdrew into herself -as the miko got to her feet and narrowed her eyes, "I don't care _what_ he told you, I'm going right over there and taking care of him whether he likes it or not."

"I have no doubt you will," Sango chuckled sadly - trying to stave off the feeling of self loathing and thought that maybe, just maybe Shiori had been right about her all along as she gave her a friend a strange look, "Do... do you think, now that some time has passed, that I was wrong? For keeping you away? For not...not telling him to come see you?"

"It was my decision more than it was anything you did," Kagome sighed sadly as she sent her friend a reassuring smile, "And I'm grateful you gave me a choice in the matter. I am. And you were just doing what he asked you to do although I'll admit I'm a little mad that you didn't tell me but let's not do surgery on the past. What's done is done."

Nodding, Sango closed her eyes and lolled her head up to the ceiling, "He's the closest thing to family I have left. Both parents dead. My brother…he went mad about a century ago. Doesn't recognize me, doesn't know his own name. I don't know what I'll do if I lose Inuyasha too. Maybe I'll go mad as well."

"I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure neither of us lose him," Kagome sighed as she stood and made her way towards her room, "I'm going to pack a few things and then I'd like to talk to the healer if that's alright. I need to know what kinds of treatments are available."

With a shuddering sigh, Sango sniffled lightly before getting to her feet to help her best friend's last hope of survival. The plague had reportedly wiped out entire villages and there was no known cure. It was a toss up whether someone will survive or not, but at a certain point, if the victim drifted into unconsciousness then death was imminent. The baku could only hope that wouldn't be the case here.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Bastard is sick then, huh?" a burly looking man sporting hundreds of scars chuckled darkly as he heaved a bulging bag over his shoulder, "One less demon to worry about in my opinion."

"Seriously, _what_ is your _problem_?" a light haired man sighed heavily as he plucked another apple off the nearest tree, "I understand your House sucks but do you _have_ to bring your baggage with you? Some of us just want to have a relaxing day in the orchard."

"How is it relaxing if we're _still_ working?" the burly looking man hissed as he glanced around at the dozens of other human men milling about their business, "Honestly, I'll _never_ understand how any of you are content to be working for such filth."

"I'm sorry you belong to the Thunder Brothers. I _know_ that isn't the easiest House to work under," one man sighed wearily as he set his jaw and lolled his head towards the burly man, " _Some_ of us are lucky enough to work for people who don't suck ass. That doesn't mean you have to _bitch_ about it."

"Where _else_ am I supposed to bitch then?" the burly looking man snapped back, "It's not like we have someone higher up to complain to. Would you rather me just bottle it up and one day _snap_?"

"Don't you have a _wife_?" one the men called out from a little further down the line as he rolled his eyes and taunted, "Bitch to _her_."

"She hates them all just the _same_ as me," the burly man snapped angrily, "And she works for _Kagura_. Used to work for that sick fuck Naraku. You guys know some of these people you're defending have _literally_ sawed women in half, right? Have tortured and burned people to a _crisp_?"

"I'm just saying not _all_ of the demons here are _terrible_ ," the light haired man groaned, "And I understand your disgust, truly I do. _No one_ likes the Thunder Brothers or Kagura and _no one_ in their right mind liked Naraku. But that _bastard_ you're speaking of has defended humans against them. Lady Sango has _literally_ drawn blood protecting her servants. Lord Miroku, Lord Hayato and Lord Koga have _literally_ hired other demons to put up barriers to protect their workers. And not _every_ lord and lady in these Houses with shitty leaders is _shitty_. Just look at Lady Akane. She fought to protect her half-demon nephew and took a _severe_ beating in his place. So some of us don't hate them _all_. The world _isn't_ black and white. It's varying shades of _grey_."

"So less than a _quarter_ of the houses _aren't_ shitty, _hooray_ ," the burly haired man scoffed sarcastically, "The rest of them _are_ still _terrible_."

"Some of them only employ full demons on their staff and others half-demons only. How they treat them is unknown to us," the light haired man sighed heavily, " _And_ I would say most _aren't_. You can't judge them _all_ by a few bad apples."

"Demons as a whole are rather heartless," a man who had been silent spoke up softly making the light haired man send him a side-eyed glare, "The only reason humans were brought in at all was when the former InuNoTaisho imprinted on a human female. After she died, slavery became commonplace. They think we're lesser beings. Some may be kind but it's not because they think we have feelings."

"And how is you even know that?" the light haired man asked wearily, "That was more than two lifetimes ago."

"Some of us ask questions," the soft spoken man responded as he narrowed his eyes and stood a little straighter, "And some of us have experienced how cruel a demon can be first hand. Demons think of us as lesser beasts. That's why Sesshomaru and so many others have human ' _pets'_."

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to gain others to your cause," the light haired man opined in a suspicious voice, "I know you've been sending letters to that half-brained rebellion. How long before your masters find out, hm?"

"I don't care what they think," the burly man huffed, "They can kill me for all I care so long as they get theirs in the end."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Blinking sluggishly, Inuyasha tried to make sense of what his mind was telling him. Someone was gently cupping his face and a cold, wet cloth was gently washing the gunk away from his gooey, sticky eyes. His sense of smell was long gone by this point and his sense of hearing was pretty damn useless with his ears being clogged like they were.

"Who are you?" he managed to rasp after a moment as his eyes fluttered closed once more having been officially exhausted by the short period they stared hazily at the fuzzy world around him, "There's no point. You can go."

"No, I can't actually," came the most beautiful voice in the world that had him both alarmed and infinitely happy, "I'm exposed now. Until you're better for at least a week, I can't leave."

"You'll get sick or spread it to the rest of the palace. It's pointless and I won't do that to you," he protested weekly – trying to hide his smile as she moved the cloth to the nape of his flushed neck and her free hand gently brushed a few hairs off his sweat dampened forehead, "I don't…"

"I'm not going to get sick," Kagome chuckled softly as she moved to dip the rag into the cold water and wrung it out, "Apparently, only demons can catch it, but it is very contagious. So, a human who stays in another house might accidentally transmit it to someone else. I, on the other hand, have no intention to leaving your side."

"This is serious. I don't even know if I'll _survive_ ," Inuyasha managed to rasp out as she ran the cold rag across his forehead - his words and his actions clearly at odds as he merely closed his eyes and the corners of his lips twitched upwards as he continued in a very half-hearted whine, "You'll be sent away where no one can protect you."

"Well, then we just need to make sure you do survive," she whispered shakily as she ran her thumb across his flushed cheek earning herself a happy sounding sigh, "I'm not going to leave you. Never again."

"Well when you put it _that_ way," Inuyasha wheezed in a flirtatious tone – the corners of his lips twitching upwards as he leaned into her touch and she ran the rag across his cheek, "I'm glad you're here. Just wish something worked out like I wanted for once. Not how I imagined seeing you when I got back."

"Life doesn't always go how we thought it would," Kagome mused as she took the rag with her free hand and gently ran her thumb across his cracked lips, "Would you be up to drinking something? You really should."

"Doubt it'll stay down but why not?" Inuyasha managed to chuckle before it turned into a very wet, hoarse sounding cough. For several minutes, he struggled for air before the coughing turned into a gag and he quickly turned away from her just in time to expel the limited contents of his stomach into a small vase by the bed. Shuddering, he blinked sluggishly down at the half-full vase before blindly reaching for his hair to assess the damage only to realize Kagome was holding his hair back with one hand and rubbing small circles with the other. Glancing over his shoulder, he gave her an apologetic, tired looking smile as he shakily turned back over and Kagome reached back for the hastily discarded rag to wipe the corners of his mouth.

"I wish I wasn't like this," Inuyasha murmured quietly more to himself than to her as his gummy eyes fluttered closed - his whole being trembling slightly as nausea flooded his system, "Wish I could smell you."

"What an odd thing to say. Do I really smell that nice?" Kagome laughed softly as she once again dipped the rag in the water and wrung it out before running it across his forehead once more before pausing and adding with an affectionate tone, "That's good to know. That I smell nice. Better than smelling terrible."

" _Way_ better than terrible," Inuyasha wheezed as a ghost of a smile graced his face and drowsiness spread through his veins, "Makes me happy."

" _You make me happy_ ," Kagome cooed softly as she watched his face relax. Gently leaning over, she placed a chaste kiss on his forehead before she lay down beside him and nudged his head onto her shoulder, reaching up to fondle one of those adorable ears. One stroke was all it took to have him humming happily if not a bit wheezily and nuzzling her in his sleep. Never in her life had she ever encountered something that warmed her heart quite like that.


	26. Dead Men Called Out

It had been such a good dream. She had been there. Caring for him. Smiling at him. For a moment, he even believed she might have been giving him a chance. He never wanted to wake up. It was kinda cruel that his mind conjured that image up as he lay dying. Like holding a piece of food just out of reach or a starving man. A starving dying man who'd gotten to taste the best thing he'd ever eaten before never getting to eat again. As his fuzzy mind tried to hold onto the dream, a subtle shifting beneath him had his eyes flying open.

"Oh good, you're awake," came her muffled sweet voice as her fingers gently combed through his sweat dampened hair, "Do you feel well enough to drink something? You really should."

Closing his eyes, Inuyasha shivered slightly as he rubbed his cheek against her shoulder - fighting against himself for asking the question but needed to know nonetheless, "Is this real? Are you really here?"

"I'm here," Kagome cooed as she gently moved her hand to gently massage the nearest ear, "Sorry I didn't listen to you or Sango and came anyway."

" _God, you could that forever_ ," he wheezed happily as he resigned himself to this pleasurable torture and closed his eyes in bliss, "I'll only forgive you if you _never_ stop rubbing my ear like that."

"Sounds fair enough," Kagome murmured in an amused tone, her hand still gently fondling his fluffy white triangle, before she sighed after a long moment, "I wish I would've come sooner. To see you before I did, I mean."

"S'not a big deal," he rasped hoarsely - a good deal of phlegm audibly moving through his chest as he did so, "I'm glad you're here now though even if you're _stupid_ for coming."

"I'm _not_ stupid," Kagome replied with an exasperated huff- her fingers immediately releasing their prize, "If anyone is stupid it's _you_."

"How am _I_ stupid?!" Inuyasha growled weakly - the words coming out as a gentle hiss thanks to his illness stealing most of his voice, "I'm already sick and here you are coming in here like...like..."

Mid-sentence, a loose sounding cough ripped through his body - thick phlegmy mucus was sliding up and down his throat with each violent expulsion of air; each breath coming thick and fast as he struggled to get enough air.

"They told me it's a demonic illness," Kagome soothed as she lightly patted his back in an attempt to help clear his congested chest - deciding to replay that morning's conversation just in case, "The only reason they weren't sending humans to care for you is because you refused that option but I don't care what you say, I'm taking care of you."

"Stubborn wench," he managed to croak after he caught his breath even as his lips twitched upwards, "Only you would be such an idiot."

"The only idiot I see is _you_ ," Kagome teased lightly with a gentle laugh, "Now are you going to drink something or am I going to have to force it down your throat?"

"I'd like to see you try," he hissed half-heartedly, " _You're_ not strong enough to make _me_ do anything."

"Is that so?" Kagome asked in a bemused tone - her nimble fingers returning to his ear, massaging it a little harder making a dopey smile grow his face, " _You're_ not strong enough to fight _me_."

"Am too," he protested in a bemused tone even as he wrapped his arm more fully on her waist and shifted until half of his body was on top of her - relishing in the physical contact, "See I'm too heavy. You can't even _move_."

"Uh huh," Kagome snorted as she rolled her eyes and gently tried to push him off her, "You know I could just tie you to the bed with sutras and do whatever I wanted."

"That could be _interesting_ ," Inuyasha murmured with a slightly flirtatious tone before he blanched and buried his nose in the crook of her neck with a slight pout on his lips, "Fine. Fine. I'll drink something but I ain't happy about it."

"Good boy," Kagome hummed as she tweaked his ear - earning herself an annoyed growl as he gently rolled off of her enough, so she could go gather some water.

"I'd brewed some tea to reduce your fever when I first got here," Kagome informed him gently as she glanced over her shoulder, "It's cold now but it'll still be good and do the job."

"You know how to do that?" he wheezed curiously as he watched her through half-lidded, gummy eyes.

"Of course," Kagome laughed as she rolled her eyes and returned with a cup, "I trained for years in the art of healing. If you want, I can try to use some spiritual energy to heal you. I think I can do it without purifying you, but it'd still probably hurt some though."

"I'm good," Inuyasha muttered as he shakily sat up and reached for the small cup before lifting it to his lips, "It'll take something more than this to kill me."

Rolling her eyes, Kagome remained pointedly placed her hand on the bottom of the cup - tipping it upwards in a signal to drink more of it as he watched her with a look bordering on disbelief mixed with elation, fully intending on taking his time with this foul brew.

"I never thanked you," Kagome whispered as he made a face at the bitter taste - his eyes never leaving her for a second, "For saving me and taking care of me. I know you said you understand but I want to explain anyway if you'll let me."

Shrugging indifferently, Inuyasha crinkled his nose and coughed lightly but otherwise seemed amenable to the idea. Nodding, Kagome took a deep shuddering breath as she played idly with her hands, "So much had happened that was out of my control. I thought...when I found out that you had imprinted on me, I was terrified about what it meant. I knew you wouldn't hurt me but at the same time, I felt like finding out stole my only feeling of safety. That even with you I wasn't getting a choice. It had only been a few days and everything in me had been destroyed. That doesn't make sense, but nothing made sense then. I kept thinking you'd come see me and while a part of me was happy you stayed away, another part of me was terribly hurt and worried that I'd made a mistake. I missed being in your arms. I missed how safe I felt in your arms. I even missed your voice believe it or not. All that and above all others, I wanted to be in a place where I could be something to someone and I just _wasn't_."

Nodding in understand, Inuyasha finished his last sip before placing the cup on the side table before he sighed, leaned back down onto the bed and averted his eyes, "I just want you to know that I'm not going to force you to do anything. Not now. Not ever. I stayed away because I thought it would be what was best for you, that you wouldn't want to see me, that you associated me with all that pain."

"The only thing I associated with you was a feeling of safety," Kagome admitted quietly as she joined him on the bed and gently guided his head onto her shoulder, lifting his arm so that it draped across her waist, "Now all you need to worry about is getting better and allowing me to fuss over you, okay? You took care of me, let me take care of you."

"Fine. Fine. Whatever," Inuyasha half-heartedly grumbled as he nuzzled her and let out a happy, wheezy sounding sigh as the warm sensation of drowsiness flooded through him, "Not even that sick."

"Whatever you say," Kagome laughed softly as she gently ran her fingers through his hair and felt him relax against her - his breath evening out and fluttering across his skin making her smile and plant a gentle kiss atop his head, "Whatever you say."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"It says here she's been forced to care for her master," the general sighed heavily as he ran his hand over his face and lowered the paper so he could look at the messenger, "That she has been taken from a _different_ House and forced to care for him. How long has she been at this other house?"

"I'm not sure," the messenger huffed in exasperation, "It's unusual at best. We received some communication from humans _against_ the rebellion in the half-demon's defense. They assert that she hasn't been kept captive at all and well cared for after her assault by a Lady Sango."

"So Kagome _was_ raped?" the general asked wearily as he glanced down at the paper in his hand once more, "What happened to the assailant?"

"Killed by the half-demon," the messenger answered as he scanned the various letters, "Apparently he killed some others who tried to take her later on. I think your source might be biased."

"The boy won't be pleased," the general mused as he set the paper down on the desk, "He wants the half-demon's head on a platter. I never should have relayed that information. He won't listen to reason any longer."

"It wasn't even _him_ who did these things," the messenger argued as he opened another letter, "My sister works for this Lady Sango and I trust her word over all others. She _insists_ the girl has been taken care of. That this Kagome has been depressed and traumatized, but has been recovering well."

"There is _no_ way to tell who is telling the truth and who isn't. Your sister works under this Lady Sango and therefore she may not be at liberty to discuss the truth of the situation," the general groaned as he reached for another letter," Some of these letters tell me Kagome is enslaved, others free. Others that she was raped repeatedly and yet others state that it was merely the one time. Some say that she's insane and some say she's recovering."

"So what will you do?" the messenger asked quietly after a moment, "I could draft a demand to have the girl released to us or a request to have her write a letter in her own hand concerning her care. That might settle the dispute once and for all."

"Neither of those things will accomplish anything," the general huffed in frustration, "But still, send a letter to your sister. Ask her to get the girl to write a letter back. If her care is adequate, hopefully that will be enough to appease the boy. I've grown concerned. I do believe he'd kill them all and not miss a wink of sleep."

"I've noticed that as well," the messenger sighed heavily as he chewed the inside of his cheek, "He won't be pleased if she refuses to see him and we still don't march on the palace."

"It matters not whether he is pleased," the general chuckled darkly, "The girl isn't our primary objective and our negotiations are going too well. The Chancellor before his illness had been attempting to acquiesce to at least part of our demands. There may still be a chance to avoid all out war."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Narrowing his eyes and setting his jaw, Inuyasha regarding the women before him with a weariness few had ever seen. She was up to _something_. He was _sure_ of it. More sure than he had ever been about anything in his life. Arching a brow in a silent question, Kagome cleared her throat and repeated herself once more.

"Please turn over," Kagome ordered gently and much more confidently than she felt, "I have an idea but you need to be laying down."

"Tell me why and maybe I will," Inuyasha countered hoarsely as he propped himself up on his elbows. Laughing softly, Kagome shook her head before giving him a warm smile, "Turn over and maybe I'll tell you."

"It seems we have reached an impasse then," Inuyasha challenged wearily as he held her gaze, "You won't win this one little girl. I'm more than ten times your age and no one has ever been able to out stubborn me. Just wait and...and..."

Amber eyes widened in horror at the same time Kagome furrowed her brow and cocked her head curiously to the side, "How old are you? You don't look all that much older than me."

"I dunno. Two hundred fifty, give or take," Inuyasha replied uneasily as he huffed and turned his eyes onto the ceiling, "I mean, I guess I'm...I'm like twenty something in human years so we're not really _that_ different and...and..."

"I'll die hundreds of years before you do," Kagome interrupted sadly, "That doesn't seem fair. For you to imprint on me, I mean."

" _If only you knew_ ," Inuyasha mumbled under his breath before he sighed heavily and turned to meet her gaze, "Don't worry about that. I mean, uh...how much do you know about, uh, _imprinting?"_

"Not all that much to be honest," Kagome laughed softly as she moved to sit on the edge of the bed before a grin broke out on her face and she turned an amused look his way, "Don't tell me. It means we will age the same, right?"

"No," Inuyasha snorted before blushing slightly and shrugging, "I mean, I don't think so anyway. Um, so there is imprinting and, uh, an impress."

"Like to impress someone?" Kagome asked with thinly veiled amusement as she arched her brow. Shaking his head, Inuyasha shifted awkwardly on the bed, "So, uh, an impress is usually, um, done when...you know, uh, two demons _love_ each other... _that_ way...um, they can um, bestow an impress on their, uh, _partner_. It's not common but it can be done."

"And an impress would be?" the miko asked as the corners of her lips twitched upward when Inuyasha turned an even deeper level of crimson that was in no way due to his fever.

"So it's, uh, like a tattoo of sorts but, um, there's a whole thing and...and _stuff_ ," Inuyasha finished lamely before huffing in frustration, "Basically if I give you an impress you'll share my life span."

"Why isn't it common?" Kagome sighed in a confused tone, "I mean, is it solely for humans and demons?"

"No, its, uh...well shit...it's more of a liability _usually_ ," Inuyasha admitted, "Used to be really common. All the royalty had bestowed their impress on their mates but...but if one of them _dies_ , the other one will follow shortly thereafter."

"And so I'd die early and you'd go with me?" Kagome squeaked as her sapphire eyes widened in horror before her eyes narrowed not in fear but indignation when he snorted, "I didn't say that. You'd share my lifespan as I'm the _dominant_ one."

"Since _when?_ " Kagome teased as she arched her brow once more and wagged her finger in front of his face as she gave him a wicked grin, "Now, you _almost_ succeeded in distracting me but I will ask you again. Turn over and lay on your tummy."

"My _tummy_? _That's_ the word you're going with?" Inuyasha snorted before blanching at the flare of anger in her eyes and quickly doing as he was told - his stuffed ears completely missing Kagome's murmur of ' _dominant my ass_ ' as she moved to kneel on the bed next to him. Taking a deep breath, Kagome gently spread her fingers before lightly dragging just the tips across his back - a faint pink light emanating from the tips. At first, there was no difference and then he tensed before groaning and relaxing under her touch.

"That feels nice," he sighed groggily as his eyes fluttered closed and an echo of a smile played on his lips, "You can press a little harder if you want. If I'd've know this is what you wanted, I wouldn't have fought ya."

"Nothing like a massage," Kagome giggled softly yet nervously as she gently lay her palms flat across his back and repeated the process with slightly more force - the pink glow still soft but leaving a slightly sunburned area behind with each stroke.

"Am I hurting you?" she asked after a moment - noting the way his skin was steadily turning a deep shade of rose with each stroke. Shaking his head lazily, Inuyasha sighed happily before murmuring in a tired sounding voice, "Not at all. It actually feels really nice. You can keep going if you want."

"You'll tell me if it hurts you," Kagome ordered gently as she began running her hands down his sides and away from the flushed skin of his back - although now that she was looking at it, it wasn't so much that it was flushed as it held a different _texture_ somehow - less firm and slightly softer looking. They continued this process across his stomach, his chest, his neck and finally his face. By the time, Kagome's softly glowing fingers traced his jaw line, the hanyou was fast asleep - although he'd hum happily every once in a while and fidget slightly whenever she tried to stop. There was no way for Kagome to know that when her finger accidentally grazed his eyelid, the iris beneath turned a deep chocolate for but a moment before returning to its natural gold.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yawning and stretching his arms above his head, the messenger made his way back to his horse and the others who had volunteered to accompany him on this quest. There had been some rumors circulating that a plague was making its way across the northern lands, taking out hundreds of demons in their wake. The loss of life - regardless of species - was always a sobering topic of conversation. Always. Demons had been relatively kind to his family. His sister worked for a demon and had never suffered any ill treatment. In fact, her wages were ample and her husband spoke highly of the demon he worked under as well. Their demands had gone unanswered to date and this latest mission was to seek a diplomatic resolution with the Chancellor and InuNoTaisho. Whether it was a fool's errand or not had yet to be seen.

"So why did they send you and not the general?" one of the other volunteers - maybe sixteen at most in age - scoffed as he rode alongside the messenger, "Seems stupid. No one is going to take us seriously."

"I carry the seal of the general. I speak on his behalf," the messenger shot back as he narrowed his eyes, "Besides, I doubt they'll have formulated a response as the Chancellor has fallen ill."

"Like any of them listen to a half-breed anyway," the youngster snorted as he rolled his eyes, "Why don't we just kill them all and be done with it? Hell, just shoot disease ridden corpses into their walls and we won't even have to risk a single man."

"We want to settle this _amicably_ ," the messenger sighed heavily as he set his jaw and gave the young man a side-eyed glare, "We are gaining numbers in the event we need to make our point through a show of force but hopefully this can be settled without...without..."

As he looked towards the horizon, his words caught in his throat. There in neat rows were dozens upon dozens of human men, women and children hung by the neck - their corpses swaying gently in the breeze.

"What on earth?" the messenger breathed anxiously as he urged his horse to gallop towards the horrific scene. The village had been leveled to the ground and a crude sign had been erected as a warning to any who passed this way.

_'To those who seek to defy the InuNoTaisho. This is the fate that awaits you. No deals will be made. Submit or perish.'_

"They killed an entire village," the messenger managed to rasp out as tears welled in the corners of his eyes and nausea swirled unchecked in his gut, "This can't be. They wouldn't..."

"They would..." the youngster managed to utter in barely more than a whisper as he pointed to another row in the far distance to the East and another to the West, "I imagine we'll see more of this in _every_ human village. They killed them _all_."

"This can't be right," the messenger breathed shakily as he stared up into the bloated, hauntingly blue faces on the rack, "Why would they do this?"

"You didn't honestly expect that they would allow humans to assemble an army, did you?" the youngster chuckled humorlessly before he paled and glanced behind them, "We should go back. Prepare a defense. They might be coming."

"You're right," the messenger croaked as he shuddered and closed his eyes before pulling on the reigns to make his horse turn back to camp, "They've made their position clear. We need to prepare to march. Negotiations are over."

A short distance away a serpentine man watched from the safety and shadows of the treeline with a sadistic grin on his face. It was funny how much could be accomplished when gold was on the line. Humans were such greedy beasts. So willing to turn on their own for the sake of a few gold coins. Dozens of villages in the area decimated in a matter of days all by human hands alone and to the benefit of none. Some men just want to watch the world _burn_.


	27. Forward March

"Bandits," Sesshomaru hissed as he surveyed the damage to yet another human village, "They're becoming quite a problem and now they claim to be under my orders. _Disgusting_."

"My Lord, do you plan on negotiating with these humans after all?" a tiny green demon asked anxiously as he followed after the towering daiyoukai, "Lord Inuyasha before he fell ill had been making strides to meet some of their demands."

"Humans are lesser beings. I had _no_ plans on negotiating in _any_ way with such filth and several other lords support my decision. What _Inuyasha_ was attempting to accomplish was no more than the dream of an idealistic _child_ with no _real_ sense of how the world worked. I made certain he never had a quorom to put his foolish plans into action," the daiyoukai responded with a slight sigh, "It _is_ troublesome that these villages were attacked so close to the palace though. It will only serve to give the humans a piece of propaganda to recruit others to their cause."

"What will we do if they do attack?" Jakken asked nervously as he glanced towards the mountains, "Last count they numbered in the thousands. Within the palace walls we are no more than five hundred at most and the tribes native villages are quite a distance away."

"The walls will stand," Sesshomaru replied coolly, "Humans have never been able to break through in over a thousand years."

"That was _before_ they invented gun powder," Jakken muttered under his breath with a huff of exasperation before grimacing when Sesshomaru cast him a side eyed glare, "I am sure such an invention will have no impact on our success, my Lord."

"Our walls will hold. They always have," Sesshomaru clipped back tonelessly as he turned to leave, "Come. We need to inspect the next village."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Inuyasha's head felt as if someone had shaken it until his brain was thoroughly bruised. Shooting pains stabbed chaotically through his muscles and there was a ringing in his ears. His stomach had settled, but likely that was because he hadn't eaten a bite in over thirty hours, not since the vomiting. Everything was fast losing its sensation, like his body had gone completely numb to the world around him and he was submerged in water unable to see, hear or even breathe. He was dying. He knew he had to be. And he had been doing better the last few days too. This just _sucked_. _Royally_. Furrowing his brow, his sluggish mind suddenly remembered her presence as her nimble fingers idly scratched the base of his ear.

"Do you feel any better?" Kagome whispered softly - too softly for him to really hear. Pulling back left him feeling dizzy but he did so anyway, "I still can't believe you're really here. I keep thinking I'll wake up and you'll be gone. Wish I didn't feel like crap though. That I could do without."

"I wish you didn't either," Kagome cooed as she help him maneuver onto his back as gently reached for the rag currently soaking in the cold water. Wringing it out, she gently placed it atop his forehead before gasping in worry when he recoiled away from the foreign sensation.

"Too cold," he whispered hoarsely as he blindly reached up to grab it - only stilling when she lightly batted his hand away, "Take it off."

"Leave it," she chided in an affectionate yet exasperated tone, "I'm sorry it's cold but we need to bring down your fever."

"You're dumb," he mumbled as his chapped lips formed a rather cute pout and his eyes opened just enough for him to narrow his eyes when she merely laughed and parroted him, "No, you're dumb."

"Why are you so stubborn?" he whined softly as his eyelids fluttered closed, "It's annoying as fuck."

"Why are you so stubborn?" she countered again, amusement laced in her tone, "It's annoying."

"You're annoying," Inuyasha muttered as the corners of his lips twitched upwards - cracking open a single amber eye to glare at her as she gave him a knowing look, "Well, you're annoying too."

"Stop it," he countered as he rolled over to face away from her - knocking off the rag in the process which she quickly retrieved and moved to the base of his neck - making him shiver involuntarily.

"Would you be up to eating something?" she whispered in reply to which he merely shrugged and burrowed deeper under the blankets, "I'm going to go make some rice."

"Good, go and take the damn rag with you," he muttered in a stubborn, agitated tone, "It's too damn cold."

"Not doing that," Kagome responded with a sad smile - it would be easy enough for him to merely reach up, but he seemed to lack the energy or will to do much more than shiver, "I'll take it off when I get back, alright?"

"Then hurry up," he wheezed - trying to hold back the cough that wanted to rip through his body and failing miserably - his whole body folding it on itself as he expelled globs of thick yellow mucus tinged ever so with crimson blood. Quickly reaching over to grab a new rag, dipping it into the water and wringing it out, Kagome gently grabbed his hand to wipe away the remnants before wiping the corners of his mouth.

"After you eat, I'd like to try to bring you to the hot spring," she whispered quietly, "See if the steam would help make it easier to breathe and clear up your lungs. I could do another massage too. That seemed to help last time."

"You just want to see me naked," he muttered - hoping embarrassment would prevent her from making him get out of the bed, " _Or_ you just want to touch my body."

"Oh _yes_ , you caught me. That was my plan all along," Kagome quipped back sarcastically as she rolled her eyes, "Couldn't be that you're sick and I'm trying to help."

"Knew it," he murmured causing Kagome to roll her eyes before she sighed and got up out of the bed, "I'm going to be back in a little bit. Don't take off that rag, mister, or I'll be seriously angry with you."

Rolling his gummy, grimy eyes, Inuyasha settled further down into the sheets and tried to get some rest - relishing in the fact that the ache that had been heavy on his heart for so many months was slowly lifting and for the first time, he was breathing slower, easier, happier. She was here. She had come. She cared about him after all. Nothing else mattered.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was harder than Kagome wanted to admit being back in this place. She should've considered that before rushing to help. As she stood just outside the door, staring at the entrance that had been her personal hell, her mind froze, and panic slowly crept up her chest. No matter how hard she tried to focus, it was like trying to capture water in her palm. Pointless and futile. Her brain fogged up and her thoughts went nowhere at all as she stood there merely staring.

Everything was flooding back to her. The memories of trauma and pain but also strangely relief and...and love. Sapphire eyes widening, that last thought had her finding the will to glance back over her shoulder at the deathly still figure on the bed. At the time, that feeling of safety, that feeling when he held her...it warmed her heart and so often she'd thought back to that whenever she woke startled - pretending he was there with her, whispering words of comfort as he held her like he never wanted to let go. His love for her had been there. So evident, so clear, so pure. It had terrified her at the time once she'd discovered the truth about imprinting but now all it merely made a gentle smile flutter across her lips. Closing her eyes, she let out a long steadying breath through her nose before forcing her feet to move forward towards the servant's quarters. He needed her. _He_ needed her. He needed _her_. He _needed_ her. And, to be honest, she needed him too.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sighing happily as she picked up one of the letters laying out on the table, a mousy haired woman sank onto the bed and smiled softly. Ah, to be young and in love. It seemed like just yesterday she had met her own husband - who could learn a thing or two about how much a love letter could make a woman's heart flutter in her chest. It was a shame that he had to fall ill and to such an illness too - how tragic. As she hummed happily and stood to place the letter back from whence it came, another servant busted into the room holding a letter tightly in her hand.

"You need to pack and leave _now_ ," the middle aged woman hissed breathlessly, "Sesshomaru is going around killing humans like _flies_. Five villages wiped out in less than a _day_."

"Wait, _what_?" the mousy haired woman gasped incredulously as she ripped the letter out of the other woman's hand and began to read, "This is from my brother. I recognize the hand but...but this can't be."

"It means even Lady Sango can't protect us anymore. We need to leave. _Now_ ," the middle aged woman hissed as she grasped the younger woman's hands, "I'm leaving tonight with my family. I suggest you do the same."

"I don't believe this," the mousy haired woman managed to stutter after a moment as she followed the older woman out of the room, "This can't be true. He must be mistaken."

"Most of the humans in the palace are leaving. It isn't just his report. They're flooding in from all over. They're killing any and all humans," the middle aged woman huffed before she furrowed her brow, "I wish it wasn't this way but it is. Perhaps we can put in a good word for the Houses that have been kind to us."

"You don't think it'll come to war, do you?" the mousy haired woman asked in a frightened tone, "Surely, they'll never breach the wall."

"You read the letter, didn't you? They've brought canons from the continent with them," the older woman chided, "All the demonic barriers in the world are no match for those. Those walls stop demonic attacks and protect from spiritual ones but even they can't stop a _bullet_."

"We should warn Lady Sango, at least!" the mousy haired woman squeaked anxiously, "And Kagome is with Lord Inuyasha. They need to be warned. They need to leave too."

"If word gets out that you know of an attack, Sesshomaru will kill you in an instant before the words ever left your tongue," the older woman huffed in frustration before she swallowed thickly, "Lady Sango has been kind to us, though. You're right. I'll speak with her and she'll only tell those she trusts. I know she'd never betray my confidence."

"When are they supposed to attack?" the mousy haired woman asked nervously before glancing back down at the letter, "A week it says but a week from the time he wrote me this letter or a week from today?"

"I'd say next couple days or so they'd begin their march if they haven't already," the older woman sighed heavily before turning and giving the mousy haired woman an understanding smile, "Go meet with your brother and I'll speak to Lady Sango. You know the route to exit the palace unnoticed do you not?"

Nodding, the younger woman grimaced before rushing off to her shared accommodations to pack her belongings. It would be a miracle if any of the humans made it out alive or without someone noticing their abrupt departure.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I noticed the other room was destroyed. Claw marks everywhere, it looks like the wall with the balcony was blown out," Kagome commented casually as she gently grabbed some of the herb-infused lye and began massaging into his scalp. He had insisted on wearing his pants into the hot spring where he was currently lounging against the stone edifice and she sat above him on the edge, "Did you do that?"

Shrugging nonchalantly, Inuyasha merely closed his gummy eyes and tried to relax under her nimble fingers that were dancing across his scalp. If he was honest, the water was helping to ease the ache in his muscles and the steam was making it easier to breathe. Plus, it felt absolutely beyond his wildest imagination for her fingers to be rubbing his scalp - his toes curling slightly as her fingers lightly worked their magic and luckily that subtle action as well as the soft moan that snuck past his lips went unnoticed.

"If you won't tell me, I'll guess. It _was_ you," Kagome mused with a sad sigh, "Now why did you do it?"

"Needed to take out some frustration is all. Room was just a casualty. Not that I'm violent or nothing just…just I should've been there. Got mad at myself," he replied lazily before shivering slightly when her fingers traced the edge of his ear. After a moment, he decided against his better judgment to take a leap of faith, "If I had been there, maybe things would've been different between us."

"Doesn't mean you go around wrecking nice rooms," Kagome chuckled softly as her fingers came up to gently clean his sore ears. Sighing, Inuyasha thankful for the flush in his skin that hid the faint burning on his cheeks as he mumbled, "Won't do it anymore. Not something I _normally_ do. Just…just I was mad and… I thought that…if things had been different…"

"Wasn't it you that told me not to look to the past but the future?" Kagome hummed as her hands gently moved his hair over one shoulder and began to gently massage his sore neck, "You know, sometimes at night, I'd pretend you were there. I always wanted to see you. I was just…"

"Past not future," Inuyasha managed to murmur lazily as he closed his eyes and let out a soft moan as her fingers worked their magic before realizing what he said and he added quickly, "I mean, future _not_ past."

"Future not past," she laughed softly as she moved her hand back to his neck and tried to work out a few of the knots before frowning when he flinched, "Sorry. I'll be gentler."

"I feel so pathetic," he wheezed as he gently reached up to cover her hand with his and guiding it onto his cheek where he leaned into her touch, "Do you know I've been stabbed straight through and brushed it off like it was nothing, but god forbid you hit a sore sport."

Smiling softly, Kagome gently reached up to massage and rub one soft ear earning herself a happy breathy sigh as he closed his eyes - the words leaving his mouth in a bliss filled whisper before he could stop them, " _Hmmm, love you_."

Immediately, his amber eyes flew open and he lightly batted her hand away before grimacing and cowering before her. It wasn't until her hand gently cupped his chin and forced him to look at her that he dared meet her gaze - the terror in his eyes breaking her heart. Terror of rejection, that he scared her away, that she'd leave never to come back, that he'd say too much, too little. So many fears all shining in those amber orbs.

"I can't say it back right now," she began slowly as her thumb brushed his cheek before adding in a soft coo as he stared at her, the fear slowly beginning to be replaced with something akin to hope. Taking a deep breath, Kagome whispered affectionately, "One day, though, I hope I will be able to say it back."

Giving her a shy half-grin, he nodded once before a shuddering gasp escaped his lips when she bent down and gently pressed her lips against his. Humming happily in the back of his throat, he kissed her back almost viciously and soon she had moved into the water cupping his face in her hands as his hands came up to crush her to him. It could've been hours or merely seconds that they stayed like that but neither of them seemed to care. It was time to look to the future and not dwell on the past.


	28. So It Begins

Sango became increasingly anxious as she sat in the overly crowded conference room. Most of the lord and ladies as well as their children, servants and half of the merchants had crammed themselves into this small, claustrophobic space to hear the urgent and pressing announcement of the InuNoTaisho. While most of those present seemed confused, many seemed to have a very good idea and some were notably absent altogether. Everyone was clucking like hens amongst themselves as they speculated why the meeting had been called. Whether the Chancellor had died from his illness or whether Sesshomaru had finally taken a mate. Whether the drought in the north had worsened. Those were just the speculation of those who hadn't possessed human servants. Out of everyone, it seemed only Sango knew the truth of the matter. She'd already sent word to her native village that there may be an evacuation and to make preparations in the event assistance was needed defending the fortress.

Ultimately, though, she had _no_ interest trying to defend this place in the event it actually was Sesshomaru who had slain all those defenseless humans. Whatever hellfire the humans brought down on his head was well deserved. They'd evacuate. Her and whomever else wanted to defect from this sinking ship. She'd additionally been speaking with the healer Kaede about precautions because hell would freeze over before she left Inuyasha behind. He _was_ going to leave with her – sick or not – as were all of his servants. Sesshomaru had a nasty habit of sending half-demons into the front lines so they'd get massacred while the full demons sat pretty. In fact, more than once, Inuyasha had been sent by _himself_ to defend the kingdom. _Not_ that he ended up going alone. Sango had always made a point to ' _escort'_ him which was code for fighting alongside him. Still, all of his servants were evacuating with her so they didn't suffer for the mistake Sesshomaru had made. It was _his_ bed and he could lie in it for all she cared.

A tense silence fell over the room as Sesshomaru entered with his loyal zealot following behind him. With a heavy sigh, the daiyoukai held up his hand and began in his infuriatingly stoic tone, "This Sesshomaru asks for anyone who has heard reports concerning attacks on human villages to step forward."

Nervous glances were exchanged by the majority of the members present while a few merely arched their brows in reply. It was Sango, then, that stood defiantly and replied in a cold, fury filled voice, "I have it on good authority that you ordered at least a dozen human villages be slaughtered in response to the rebellion brewing to the East."

Nodding curtly, Sesshomaru cleared his throat – in a very uncharacteristic manner – before replying, "A dozen human villages _were_ slain two weeks ago but not under This Sesshomaru's orders. Human mercenaries were hired by a member of House Hebi. All mercenaries have been dispatched by my hand and House Hebi has been found guilty of treason. All members present within these walls have been executed thusly."

Several gasps of outrage and alarm echoed around the room but no one dared speak. The fury rolling off the daiyoukai was almost tangible and a closer inspection of his claws indicated that the executions had been recent, perhaps within the hour.

"Have the human rebels even been _notified_?" Sango asked with thinly veiled ire – her face flushed in anger, "And why was House Hebi not brought to _trial_? Are you now judge, jury _and_ executioner?"

"This Sesshomaru dealt out the punishment they deserved as there is no time for a trial. The humans began storming the fortress shortly thereafter and have already broken through the outermost wall," Sesshomaru replied with a uncharacteristic furrowing of his brow, "They have decimated more than half of the infantry and are currently laying siege to the second inner wall."

With those words all hell broke loose until a tall ebony haired man with crimson eyes and feminine features stood up and bellowed, "Why is this the first we're hearing of a rebellion or - more _importantly_ \- that we are currently under siege!? Were _any_ attempts to negotiate made?!"

"Lord Chancellor Inuyasha had been receiving _complaints_ from several humans but upon my review, it was in no way indicated they were formal demands nor did they appear to be from an entity," Sesshomaru admitted with another uncharacteristic huff of exasperation, "Among their demands, Lord Hiten, was a reinstatement of the provisions traditionally delivered, the honoring of historic treaties, supplemental defenses to thwart encroaching demons outside our jurisdiction and to cease and desist the practice of bestowing human gifts."

"So you're telling me if we had just _listened_ to the half-breed and given him the quorum _you_ instructed us to ensure he _never_ got, we _wouldn't_ be in this mess?!" Hiten hissed angrily as he narrowed his crimson eyes, "By _god_ man, we're now in danger of losing everything because you wanted to see your brother _fail_! Have you _no_ scruples?!"

"This Sesshomaru doesn't recall you complaining," the daiyoukai replied coldly as he narrowed his eyes and added in little more than a hiss, "And his name is Lord Chancellor Inuyasha. Address him as such."

"Oh, cut the _crap_ Sesshomaru. You throw that word around more than any of us so stop trying to pretend otherwise," the irate demon hissed before his rather disfigured looking brother also got his feet, "We're out. We're so done with being part of the Western Lands it's not even funny. You can rot in _hell_ for all I care."

"Anyone who wishes to leave may do so at any time," Sesshomaru replied in his usual stoic tone, "As it stands, should the humans break through the inner walls, evacuations shall become mandatory. Any lords who wish to stay and join This Sesshomaru in battle make your intent clear."

As could be expected, several lords and ladies stood and declared their intent while several others merely got up and left.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As he slept - his head on its new customary position on her lap as had been their habit over the course of the past few weeks, Kagome traced his lip lightly with the tip of her finger. It pouted slightly, and she had such an urge to kiss it, to wrap them up in a quilt and listen to their gentle breathing, watching the cotton ripple like skipping stones and sharing crooked smiles. His lip felt slightly chapped under her feather light touches but she simply could not bring herself to give a damn. She gazed so intently at each divot of that lip, as if it could map out ancient seas and theories on life and tell her everything she didn't know of the world. And she couldn't force herself to glance further up his face because if she looked up, she may find herself at the mercy of questioning eyes, pleading, begging to know what she was doing, and she wasn't at liberty to say because she simply didn't know. Almost as though they felt her eyes on them, those lips parted slightly as a single sigh escaped and his nose gently nuzzled her stomach while his eyes fluttered open.

"How long was I asleep?" he whispered thickly - his voice much stronger than it had been several days before as he adjusted himself, so he was looking up into her smiling face.

"A few hours," Kagome cooed as her fingers moved to gently trace his ear - making his eyes fluttered closed in bliss and his hips shift against the bed as he bit his lip to hold back the moan that threatened to break free. She knew what she was doing - he _knew_ she knew and it was both as thrilling as it was endlessly annoying. That sly bitch _knew_ what she did to him when she did that. Just like she _knew_ what she was doing when he fought her when she tried to get him to do something and all she had to do was press her lips against his to make him powerless against her. That was some manipulative bullshit is what it was, and he couldn't help but love it.

When her nimble fingers brushed against a particularly sensitive bundle of nerves, the battle was lost, and a breathy moan escaped his lips while his hips involuntarily bucked forward. Giggling slightly, she pulled her fingers away causing him to whimper and fold his arms across his chest as he pouted.

"Fuck you," he pouted in a very cute manner as he made a point to roll over onto his side away from her.

"Sorry," Kagome laughed as she gently reached over to force his head to tilt just enough for her fingers to trace his ear earning another involuntarily writhing of his person as he groaned. Yeah, she knew exactly what she was doing and as much as it irked him that she wasn't going to quell the fire searing through his veins, he really didn't want her to stop.

"You're evil, you know that?" he complained half-heartedly before biting his lip as her free hand began gently drawing circles on his stomach just above his navel - his next words leaving his mouth a soft, breathy moan, " _So evil_."

"Maybe," she teased lightly as her fingers traveled lower gently brushing just above the waist of his hakama making his chest heave erratically in a manner no way associated with being ill. As she teased him, he whimpered as his hand fisted onto the blanket.

" _Oh_ ," he managed to moan before he inhaled sharply when her fingers wormed under the fabric and encountered the sensitive flesh below. Immediately, his whole body writhed - toes curling, chest rising and falling like he was struggling for air as he tried to wrap his mind around what was happening. Smirking slightly, Kagome traced her fingers against the throbbing problem and he lost all control over his body as he unashamedly moved his hand to force hers to stay, trying to guide it to do more than just stay there. In all honesty, Kagome felt immensely powerful to see him completely at her mercy - his face contorted in pleasurable agony as she began to apply more force and gently wrap her fingers around him. Oh yes, she felt _powerful_. He was making all manner of undignified noises as she worked him - gripping the bedsheets so tightly fine rips could be seen. For the first time in so long, she _was_ powerful and in control. To do as _she_ wished with no one to stop her. Powerful enough to bring a man to his _knees_...metaphorically speaking anyway.

" _Like that, just...just like that_ ," he managed to gasp out as his hips began to rock in time with her movements. Never in a million years would he have anticipated this. It was borderline shocking but if she wanted to do this, he sure as hell wasn't going to tell her _'no'_. His chest began to heave erratically as he panted and moaned - his ears pinned flat against his head as the dam within his being broke and a soft cry that began as a silent scream escaped his lips. Every so often his hips rocked gently as every muscle in his body relaxed and his lips formed a silly, bliss filled grin.

Kagome, for her part, couldn't help but smile softly down at him as he rubbed his cheek against her leg- the lazy, satisfied grin on his face warming her heart.

" _Love you_ ," he mumbled softly after a moment as drowsiness once again clouded his mind. She had never said it back, but it was times like this that he needed to say those words like a compulsion and she never punished him for it, so he assumed they weren't unwelcome. To be honest, he didn't care if she never said it back so long as...

" _You know, I think I love you too_ ," she whispered as she leaned down and kissed his temple. Rolling his head to gaze up at her, the look of pure and utter happiness in his amber eyes made her match the bright grin he gave her. Fluidly sitting up, he cupped her face before his mouth crashed down on hers and his tongue into her mouth as he clutched her to him. As they clung to each other, for the first time in a long time, Kagome felt like life was going to be okay. Truly, everything was going to work out _just_ fine.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The masses moved as one, a sea of waving banners, as if there were just one brain instead of many. Hundreds, thousands even. Their right legs moving in unison quickly followed by the left. With each step the sound of the clanging metal was like the warning thunder of a coming storm. Slung about their shoulders were rifles with bayonets as well as bows, spears and the like. Each face was grim against the frigid wind and at the head was a young boy who scowled at the fortress in the distance.

" _I'm coming for you. Just hold on a little longer_ ," Sota whispered quietly to himself as the two generals nodded once between themselves before the most decorated rode his horse and turned to face his troops.

" _ **TOO LONG HAVE THE DEMONS REIGNED OVER THE WESTERN LANDS**_ ," he bellowed authoritatively, " _ **IT'S TIME HUMANS RISE UP TO TAKE BACK WHAT IS OURS! WHO'S WITH ME?!"**_

The screams of approval carried like a menacing cry over the land as several of the lords and ladies of the Houses watched on from the palace balcony with weary grimaces and anxious hearts.


	29. Run Away and Never Come Back

" _Love you_ ," he whispered for the hundredth time as his fingers gently traced the curves of her face. They hadn't consummated their relationship in a more physical way - that one unexpected venture the day before being the only event of that nature - but since then, at no point had they broken contact with each other. They'd kissed and fondled each other - exploring as much of each other's bodies as felt comfortable before sleeping in the same manner they had so long ago. As they lay beside each other - his fingers light tracing her jaw before brushing her cheek, Kagome hummed appreciatively as she listened to the gentle purr in vibrating in his chest.

"You're purring again," she murmured lazily as she leaned into his touch - smirking when the noise abruptly stopped.

"Am not," he muttered sheepishly before the sound was back again with a vengeance when her fingers moved to trace his neck. Closing his eyes in bliss, he flushed a light crimson as he sighed happily and begrudgingly admitted, "It's a, uh, mating... _thing_. When we feel happy or need to comfort our mates we, uh, _growl_. A content growl. Not a purr."

"That so?" Kagome teased lightly as her feather light touch traced his jaw, his lips, his nose and finally brushed a few stray hairs out of his eyes - all the while the deep thrum growing louder as his eyes remained closed and a breathy moan escaped his lips. Rolling her eyes, Kagome giggled softly, "Well I like your content growl. Its very cute."

"I'm not _cute_ ," InuYasha huffed before playfully baring his fangs and moving to gently nibble on her neck - barely hiding his amusement as he growled playfully," _Fear_ me tiny human! Cower before me in _terror_."

"Never!" Kagome squealed when his fingers came up to tickle her sides. No amount of writhing or fruitlessly attempts to break free could save her and as her squeals and giggles escalated she finally managed to gasp out, "Fine! Fine! _Mercy!_ You're not cute! Not even a _little_!

"Victory is mine! Now tiny human you... _you_..." InuYasha's laugh trailed off as his stomach twisted and he turned a pale shade of green before rocketing out of the bed and emptying the contents of his stomach into the designated bucket by the hot springs. As he panted lightly, he idly reached for his hair to inspect the damage and took an _embarrassingly_ long time to realize Kagome was holding his hair out of the way.

"I thought you were getting better. _Haven't_ you been feeling better?" Kagome asked in a worried tone as she helped him to his feet and back into bed before rushing to get him a glass of water which he, of _course_ , refused. Rolling her eyes, Kagome gave him a wicked smile before reaching up to fondle his ears as his eyes widened and registered what was about to happen a second too late. The battle was lost even before it began as InuYasha shuddered in pleasure when her fingers traced the edges - his eyes closing in bliss as he mindlessly took the cup from her hand and drank a few sips like he planned to do it all along. When Kagome was satisfied he'd had enough, she accepted the cup back and placed it on the table before crawling into bed beside him. Groaning, InuYasha turned to face her as his fingers came up to lightly trace her nose, "It comes and goes but I dunno how you put up with me. I can barely stand or breathe, and I vomit every thirty minutes. It's _pathetic_."

"I don't mind. I'm happy I can take care of you and you are getting _better_ ," Kagome cooed as she grinned at him before noticing how he was biting his lip. Giggling slightly, she cocked her head curiously as she murmured and gently bopped his nose with her finger, "What's that face about?"

"Okay, so you can't freak out when I tell you," he mumbled as a faint blush bloomed on his cheeks and he gently ran his finger down her neck before softly tracing her collarbone, "So _tonight_ , when the sun goes down, I..."

The unexpected sound of someone banging on the door had both Inuyasha and Kagome snapping out of their blissful reverie - the hand that had been gently tracing her face suddenly pulling her behind him as he sat up and eyed the door apprehensively. The sudden shift made his head spin, nausea grew in his gut and his nose was still rather congested - making scents difficult to distinguish but as the door burst open and Sango stumbled in carrying her gigantic boomerang over one shoulder, he furrowed his brow in confusion while relaxing his defensive posture.

"The _hell_ Sango?!" he hissed as he rolled his eyes and waved uselessly at nothing in particularly, "You've probably caught this bullshit now. I may be _better_ but I'm not..."

"We're under siege," Sango cut him off impatiently before her gaze turned to Kagome, "Our scouts said a young human boy is accompanying them in search of the _sister_ that was kidnapped several months ago."

"Sota? He really _was_ looking for me?" Kagome breathed in a confused tone that had InuYasha grimacing and flinching away from her before she shook her head, "But I _wasn't_ kidnapped! I was _sold_ in plain sight of everyone _including_ him. Okay, I was kinda kidnapped but..."

"It doesn't matter," Sango breathed as she shook her head anxiously, "They're not here to _negotiate_. They're here to kill us _all_. They've broke through the inner walls overnight. They have _guns_ and literally _hundreds_ of warriors with spiritual powers. We're evacuating. _Now_."

"Her brother came for her?" Inuyasha's voice broke slightly - obviously having stopped listening past that point- as he glanced at the miko who looked like she was about to pass out, "Kagome, what...what do you...do you want…"

"We'll leave," Kagome whispered after a moment as she reached over to gently cup his heartbroken face, "I told you I'm _not_ leaving you. _Never_ again."

"But...but I _can't_ leave and I won't let you stay if they're trying to kill everyone," Inuyasha sighed in defeat as he reached up to remove her hand, "I'm still sick but if you want to go with Sango..."

"We're not leaving you behind," Sango managed to cut him off hoarsely, "I've already arranged for precautions. We're _not_ leaving you."

"Where would we even go?" Inuyasha huffed before starting when something crashed onto the roof above them - causing settled dust to drift onto them like so much snow. Casting a nervous glance at Kagome, he swallowed thickly before turning worried eyes on Sango, "Where _is_ there to go?"

"My village is some distance away," Sango sighed heavily as she ran her fingers through her hair, "High in the mountains, hidden and unknown to humans. All your servants are coming with us, naturally, and those others which wish to join us. All the human servants already fled."

"Don't you want to at least..." Inuyasha asked after a long moment before another blast caused several pieces of the ceiling to crash down around them and several pieces of art to shatter onto the floor.

"I have nothing to say to my brother _if_ he's actually with them," Kagome responded coldly as she huffed, "Tell me what you'd like to bring, and I'll start packing it."

"I'll help," Sango offered in a slightly panicked voice before turning to Inuyasha, "Are you well enough to stand?"

"I think so, not to run but walk yes," he answered as he shakily got to his feet and steadied himself against the wall, "I'm too much of a liability. You really should just..."

" ** _We're not leaving you_**," Kagome and Sango yelled in unison - the two women exchanging bemused glances before Kagome rolled her eyes and continued angrily, "Now do you want anything or not?!"

Biting his lip, Inuyasha nodded once before making his way towards a dresser and rifling through it for a medium sized plain wooden box, his sword and a few pieces of clothing.

"Take this will you?" he asked Sango as his arms trembled from the effort of holding it, "That's all I want."

"Alright, let's go," Sango huffed as she adjusted her new load before eyeing Inuyasha's already pale looking face and frowning, "Shiori and Ginta have already offered to assist you. They're just down the hall."

"They'll get..." Inuyasha began hoarsely before his vision blurred and he swayed on his feet- the panic making his already weak condition so much worse.

"What about we're not leaving you did you _not_ understand?!" Sango clipped back angrily, "Now either let them help or so help me I'll knock you out and they'll carry you anyway."

"Fine," he hissed - his shoulders sagging in defeat before Kagome's fingers were suddenly intertwining with his own.

"Everything is going to be okay. I love you," she whispered reassuringly as she ran her thumb across the back of his hand, "Just stay with me. Hold on, okay?"

"Always," he murmured as he gave her a weak grin - his legs trembling from the weight of keeping himself upright before the lights behind his eyes went out and he crumpled to the ground.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Our inside man informed us there's a group heading south towards the mountains. The girl is supposedly with them," the captain sighed heavily as he rubbed his hand over his face and passed the parchment over to the young boy, "We've already set up a barricade and the instructions are to _capture_ , not _maim_ , the silver one."

"Why not just kill it?" Sota replied eerily as he lifted the piece of paper and held it atop the burning candle - the edges quickly catching light and the paper crumbling to ash in his hand, "Why do we need it alive?"

"Didn't you say he'd imprinted on her?" the captain replied nervously, "If, uh, he marked her, then, uh...we're not sure but mated pairs don't often outlive each other. Demon or human. It doesn't matter. We think its related."

" _Or_ it might do nothing except set her free," the boy replied with a cold sneer, "A miko would _never_ mate a demon."

"Not _willingly_ , no. It's _possible_ for a mark to be unilateral and given her circumstances it may be," the captain admitted begrudgingly before adding with a sigh, "Still, you should come with us. There's a relatively new attack we've learned from the priest who've joined us from the east. It'll hold a demon without killing them. Basically, render them harmless and under your control. It seems only right that you be the one who wields that power."

"Hold them? Not purifying them or kill them. You said _hold_ ," Sota asked wearily as he stared at the small pile of ash, "What does that entail?"

"It's a new technique although the practice is ancient. You've trained in the spiritual arts so I'm sure you've heard of beads of subjugation," the captain explained as he scratched the base of his neck, "The same practice applies here only the caster has _all_ the control. There's no word. It's an _object_. Whoever holds the source object, controls the demon. You can summon them. Torture them. Make them bend to your very will. There are seven that had been crafted from one source object. The generals have agreed that for this particular mission, _you_ will be given the honor of being the one to make him suffer for what happened to your sister. Three have been allotted for this mission but...but from all accounts, her mind has been quite addled. It might be a waste of time. She might not be worth all this effort and might be better off dead."

"She's worth _everything_ ," Sota mumbled more to himself than his present company before he swallowed thickly and set his jaw, "When do we leave?"


	30. Left Behind

With all the force of a great typhoon, dozens of horses broke out from the tree line. At the head was an ebony haired man atop a magnificent stallion that was moving as fluidly as water, stocky limbs running faster than the hidden scout would ever have thought possible. The soft soil was no match for the many hooves and in their wake, sods were flying in an arcing spray. Their heads were extended forwards but their ears flat back, puffs of moisture escaping from their nostrils as they carried all manner of demon on their backs. They were an impressive sight, streaming past with equally impressive demons atop them and amongst them all was a _human_ girl that matched _her_ description.

There was no time to wait. One signal and the priests they'd strategically placed up ahead would be able to wipe them out in one fell swoop. Fluidly reaching behind him, he grabbed the firework they'd each been given, positioned it ever so and lit it with one fell swoop of the flint. Rocketing into the sky, it let out a loud boom and exploded in a sprinkle of green sparks.

"What the _hell_ was that?!" Miroku yelled over his shoulder to Sango who merely shrugged and glanced about nervously before bellowing back, "A scout I think. There's probably an ambush up ahead. Can you handle them?!"

Miroku grimaced before nodding once and hurrying his pace – a fierce wind beginning to whip around him as he prepared to change forms.

"What's going on?!" Kagome yelled as she caught up to Sango - Inuyasha's unconscious form fastened securely against her – watching with wide eyes as Miroku took his true form and rushed into the clouds to get a better idea of what they were up against before making his move, "Miroku's a **_dragon_**!? _Holy_ …"

The rest of her sentiment was drowned out in the midst of terrified screams as a barrage of spiritual arrows begin descending on their heads - taking out a good quarter of the demons before there was even time to react -their bodies melting in grotesque fashion as they bubbling forms slid off their horses and melted onto the ground in a mixture of blood and guts.

" _ **GET TO THE TREELINE**_! **_SCATTER_**!" Sango screamed before noticing Kagome galloping ahead of them all and frantically trying to fasten the reigns to the rope that held Inuyasha's wrists in place. Take a deep shuddering breath, Kagome bellowed back over the fray, " _NO_ ** _! THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT!_** _**TRUST ME!**_ _**GET EVERYONE BEHIND ME! I HAVE AN IDEA**_!"

Nodding once, Sango bellowed the command as she watched the miko sit up a little straighter - quite a feat seeing as how she was trying to balance Inuyasha before throwing both arms straight out to her sides- a great pink barrier suddenly shimmering into existence around them all as they charged forward. Within seconds, another round of arrows soared menacingly through the sky but as soon as they hit the barrier, many of them ricocheted off at unpredictable angles while some dissolved completely.

" _Holy_ **_shit_**!" Ginta bellowed as he sent an alarmed glance at Sango, "Did _you_ know she could do that?! _Fuck_ , she could've killed us all!"

Shaking her head numbly, Sango merely watched in awe as Kagome continued to hold the barrier before the miko glanced over her shoulder and bellowed, " ** _VEER LEFT! THEY'RE UP AHEAD!_** "

" _Glad she's on our side_ ," Ginta mumbled his breath as he relayed the command to those behind him. As one unit, they changed course but as Miroku's impressive form swooped down. All it took was a second. A second for all their hope filled grins to morph into ones of unparalleled horror. One second the impressive dragon spread its intimidating wings and opened his mouth – flames licking off his tongue. The next, his form slammed unnaturally to the ground – pulled by an invisible yet powerful force. For a moment, he was deathly still before his immense form shimmered and _vanished_.

" ** _NO_**!" Sango screamed in despair as she vanished off her horse faster than anyone could blink - ignoring Kagome's frantic plea to come back, ignoring the erratic beating of her heart, ignoring the terror searing through her veins at the thought that could not be ignored. That he might be gone. That he had been lost. As per the norm, her unanticipated appearance caused several of the warriors to start. All except one elderly priest who seemed to have expected such an action and who had several black spheres hovering in his hand. One second, she was up - her hand reaching for her boomerang and the next, the world went black as her head hit the ground at breakneck speed.

" _ **SANGO**_!" Kagome screamed hysterically as she lowered her arms - her barrier faltering just enough to allow a few dozens arrows to break through, taking out at least five demons mid-stride. Sensing that all might be lost if the miko didn't regain her focus, Shiori quickly sped up to gallop beside the woman who held the heart of the man who had been her first love, _**"KAGOME! WE HAVE TO KEEP GOING! THEY'VE TAKEN OUT HALF OUR RANKS! WE'LL ALL DIE IF WE CIRCLE BACK!"**_

It hurt - actually physically _hurt_ \- the poor half-demon's heart to say those words. However much they hated each other, this would never have been the fate she'd wish upon _anyone_. Whatever those bastards had done, it was a force the two best fighters in their ranks had been defenseless against. Sango was _gone_. Miroku was _gone_. So many dead in less than a day and they would probably lose more if they managed to survive at all.

"We have to keep going," Shiori tried again - her voice breaking slightly as she gave the miko an imploring look, "We _have_ to keep going."

Swallowing thickly, tears streamed down the miko's face as she glanced over her shoulder before her barrier flared to life, stronger and more vibrant than it had been. The gigantic pink bubble crackled and sparked as the remaining demons broke through the treeline - the arrows sent for them disintegrating on contact. It was a funny thing how love made her push _harder._ How fearno longer held such power over her _._ How heartbreak was making her _stronger_.

Sango would've been so proud.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As the boy squeezed the jewel, Sango convulsed in eerie silence while somehow screaming with her entire body. Chocolate eyes were wide with horror, her mouth rigid and open, her chalky face gaunt and immobile, her fists clenched with blanched knuckles and her claws digging deeply into the unforgiving dirt in front of her.

"I warned you not to lie to me," Sota hissed cruelly - a sadistic smile on his face as he knelt down in front of her and roughly grabbed her chin to force her to look at him, "Tell me the truth."

Miroku for his part had been rendered silent by the same force the boy was using to try to coerce a response from his love - his sapphire eyes betraying his own agony as he struggled pointlessly against the invisible bonds.

"I _did_ ," Sango managed to rasp out as she struggled to catch her breath, "She was living with me. I _never_ harmed her. I protected her. Cared for her. She's my friend. _Please_. _Please_ believe me."

Whether he believed her or not was made abundantly clear when she crashed to the ground - twitching grotesquely as her mouth fell open in a silent scream while her face contorted in agony. Whether minutes passed or hours that every fiber of her being screamed in agony but when it finally lifted, it was all she could do to stay conscious.

"What's your relationship with this male?" Sōta asked casually after a moment - his tone making it clear he felt no guilt or sympathy whatsoever for the two demons before him, "Are you mated?"

"No," Sango choked out from her place on the ground as she sent a terrified glance at Miroku, "We're not mated."

"There is _something_ there," Sōta mused before smirking and turning towards the dragon who couldn't seem to tear his gaze away from the woman, "Did he imprint on you?"

"No," Sango squeaked out miserably as she tried to sit up- tears streaming down her face as she pleaded desperately, "We're friends. Just friends."

The way Miroku flinched, however, was all the boy needed to know that was a lie. Squeezing the jewel lightly, Sango immediately dropped to the ground with a heart wrenching scream that made Miroku's blood run cold.

"I warned you about lying to me," Sōta crooned sadistically before turning a wicked smile as the dragon whose chest was heaving erratically as he desperately tried to fight against the invisible bond to comfort his mate.

"Now, you, tell me. Did you imprint on her?" Sota asked in a cold impassive tone as a soft cry escaped Miroku's lips when his voice was suddenly returned. Shaking his head, Miroku refused to respond - choosing to whisper Sango's name over and over again like a mad man as he desperately tried to force his body to move. Furrowing his brow, Sota knelt down and stared into the man's face as he watched the woman still writhing on the dirt. There was anger, yes, but there was no mistaking the agony, the heartbreak upon seeing her hurting.

"You _did_ imprint on her. You love her. As much as demons are capable of love, anyway," Sota stated rather than asked in an almost bored tone, "Tell me, does the beast who claimed my sister love _her_?"

"More than _anything_ ," Miroku breathed anxiously before letting out another shuddering breath when Sango cried out once more, "Please stop this. Stop hurting her. _Please_."

"Does Kagome love him?" Sōta asked quietly after a moment as he stretched his arms above his head and cracked his neck, "Not that it matters. Merely curious."

"She does," Miroku responded hoarsely - his eyes transfixed on the woman sobbing on the ground before pleading in a desperate tone,"I don't care if you believe me or not. Just...just hurt _me_ and not..."

"What would happen if I commanded you to kill this woman where she lays, I wonder. If I told you to rip out her beating heart? Would it destroy you?" Sota crooned as a wicked smirk bloomed on his lips and he held the jewel up between his fingers, "I could do it. Make you kill her and everyone else."

That statement seemed to pull Miroku out of his frantic obsession as he turned panic filled eyes onto the boy and begged hoarsely, "Please don't. _Please_. I'll do anything if..."

The rest of his words were stolen as Sota silenced him once more - the dragons mouth still moving wordlessly before he shuddered slightly when Sango cried out once more and he turned an agony filled gaze her way once more.

"You've brainwashed her. Destroyed her. My sources tell me she was raped. That she was tortured. That her mind is addled," Sōta huffed in frustration after a moment - Sango's suffering ending as she lay on the ground panting heavily, tears streaming down her face, "I want nothing more in this life than to make each and every one of you _suffer_ as she has. To know what it feels like to witness someone _you_ love being struck down in front of your eyes. _So_ , you _will_ bring Kagome to me and slay _anyone_ that gets in your way. We'll have some more fun when you return. Maybe I'll even give my sister a turn."

With an involuntary shudder, both demons found themselves being pulled to their feet by invisible strings - the compulsion to do as he'd ordered completely overwhelming them both as they moved to carry out his command.


	31. Lost Cause

There was an ever changing illness being conjured his mind with each passing days. At first, he hadn't noticed the moments where he wasn't there – attributing it to daydreaming or merely being so busy that he lost track of time. Then, oh and then, it became hours, then days, and now it had been almost a month where his actions and words weren't his own. It felt like he was trapped in a world of nothingness, merely a spectator to life in his own body. One feeling, however, was still intact and was so much more pronounced than the feelings of his own. Whomever it was controlling him hated every single living and breathing person in the world. The presence wanted to see them all rot in hell.

Hate colored this soul that wasn't quite his own. It spread throughout his entire system, shutting down all other feelings, and becoming central to the life and the intent of this strange beast that somehow felt familiar. Little things hadn't gone beyond his notice. He passed through several villages in the North. Always drawn to the ones that seemed the most prosperous or populated. On his way back, it was clear a severe drought was plaguing the area as well as an actual plague. There was a piece of him that knew, just knew, it was his fault….or more like the _presence's_ fault. Ill-will raced wildly around his mind, becoming a sickness of his own. Hatred was slowly poisoning his very soul.

The only thing Sota could really figure from his strange predicament - as he watched with an anguished heart while the presence dug him a hole that no amount of effort could ever repair – was that an onryō – a vengeful ghost – had possessed him and was leveling destruction everywhere it went. Fanning sparks of resentment into a mighty fire, leveling illness and causing mayhem wherever it went…..using _him_ as a vessel. It _finally_ clicked who the presence must be. Who _else_ would harbor such hatred against demons _except_ for Kikyo. It was the _only_ rational explanation and he wasn't strong enough to stop her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Distance was all that mattered. They couldn't take the chance that those men weren't still hot on their trail. A short while after they'd broken through the tree line, the priests with their arrows and their deadly attacks had fallen back. That had been hours ago, though, and the sun was rapidly ending its journey across the sky.

"Kagome!" Shiori called out from behind her in a breathless, exhausted sounding tone, "Some of us need to stop. Take cover before night falls."

"Sango told me her village was a few days journey," Kagome bellowed hoarsely – her horse unsteadily traversing the rocky terrain as the still comatose Inuyasha stirred slightly and nuzzled her shoulder blade in his dead sleep, "If we go through the night, we might make it there by sundown tomorrow."

"You're not listening to the words coming out of my mouth," Shiori huffed in frustration before trying again - enunciating each word as though she expected Kagome to come to an obvious realization, "The sun is going _down_. _Some_ of us need to take cover. Not _all_ of us but _some_."

" _Why_ would we split up?" Kagome called back – some of the other demons in their company snickering slightly as they cast knowing looks at each other, "That sounds like a _terrible_ idea."

"I'm not saying split up. I'm saying... _oh_. Fuck, he _didn't_ tell you," Shiori blanched as her eyes grew wide as dinner plates before something occurred to her and she sent a sheepish smile at Ginta, "I mean, _you_ know right? It's just that time of the month and…"

" _Seriously_!? That's why you need to stop?" Kagome snorted as she rolled her eyes, "I mean, I know its _uncomfortable_ but this is life and death here."

"Okay, _listen_ instead of _talking_ ," Shiori shot back exasperatedly as she gestured at the pale, sickly looking hanyou, "Its _his_ time of the month too. We _need_ to stop and take cover. It is not safe to be out here without protection. There's only about thirty of us left and a _third_ of us are about to be as _useless_ as tits on a boar."

Forcing her horse to a dead halt, Kagome set her jaw and maneuvered herself so she was awkwardly facing the small half-demon, "Okay, I'm officially confused and I've had a bitch of a day. Speak in small words so I understand."

"When the sun goes down, some of us will turn _human_ ," Shiori huffed as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Out of those of us that remain, eight to be exact. Since we're down to about _nine_ half demons and we're out in the middle of freaking _nowhere_ , that presents a problem that we normally do not have."

"Is this common knowledge?" Kagome asked quietly as she glanced around at the other houses who didn't look even remotely surprised, "If everyone knows then…"

"There were four groups of evacuees. Four and ours was one of the smallest," Shiori responded slowly as she chewed the inside of her cheek, "All of the houses present have or had at least one half-demon on their staff and thus decided to travel with us. Now, usually the night is know well known but it's unavoidable in this case."

"This is very true and none of us here would dare harm them," a small, angular orange haired demoness acknowledged sagely – her emerald eyes kind but also weary as she continued, "One of my nephews was a half-demon under House Tsukiko's employ. Our House was traveling West but I joined the group to the East so that I could stand as guard. He…he fell early on but…but in his memory, I will still stand."

"I'm so sorry. Of course, we'll stop," Kagome whispered shakily before feeling Inuyasha begin to fidget restlessly behind her, "But we need to find somewhere they won't find us."

"I think there's some caves up ahead if my memory serves correctly," Shiori murmured before releasing a shuddering sigh and looking around with a slightly mournful stare, "I haven't been here for more than a century. Not since before Inuyasha found me."

"I never heard that story," Kagome mused as she took a shuddering breath, "Or any of your stories to be honest."

"I'll begin if that's okay. I...I need to share his story," the orange haired woman sniffled quietly from her place just behind the miko, "As you are aware, half-demons are generally looked down upon. My brother had a nasty habit of seeking out village girls. Needless to say, we were never close. One day, this girl arrives at the palace with my nephew in tow and my brother refused to acknowledge him. Slayed the girl before I could stop him and almost slayed his own son right then and there but I intervened and your mate was kind enough to offer him a place to stay. He was a sweet boy, but a trickster true to his nature. I was very close with him but with my brother being how he is, I could never bring him home."

"I remember the day he was brought into our House. So tiny. Cutest baby I'd ever seen," Shiori laughed softly as a sad smile played on her lips before she let out a shuddering breath, "I've told you my story. My father is a demon lord, my mother human. She died when I was around five or six in human years and her family, of course, ran me out of the village the second she let out her last breath. I stayed in these mountains for a long time. For decades I was alone until one day Inuyasha passed through to visit Sango at her village and found me. Took me with him and then back to the palace. He had just been awarded his own house. At first, he had human servants but they were dismissed after several older half-demons came seeking refuge and soon our staff grew until we were thirty five strong. Now we are nine."

"My sister was a half-demon," came a very depressed sounding voice from a little further back - his crimson eyes watery, his ebony hair blowing slightly in the breeze, "Beautiful and strong. Feisty. My father wasn't a kind man, if you could even call him a man at all. Cruel to a fault. Took pleasure in causing _pain_ but that's beside the point. It was only in the past few decades I even knew she existed. We had grown close in that short time. I'll never forget her voice though. She could sing better than any song bird. I too will stand in her memory."

So the stories of those that were lost carried on the wind. Tales of laughter. Of tears. Of heartbreak. Of reunion. Most importantly, however they were stories of love and loss. So our thirty travelers continued towards the caves completely unaware of the two demons following behind them veiled by a baku's illusion.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Glowing embers leapt and twirled in a fiery dance above the palace walls. Burning bright until its plumes turned black and ascended in the air in dark gray tendrils of darkness, and misery. No matter how much effort was given, the fire didn't cease its reign of terror. It ate everything in its path, left no part untouched, while those that attempted to flee from the fiery inferno were sent to hell of another kind by the gunman and priests they had waiting for those poor souls. Those that left when the battle first broke out were the lucky ones. The demons' isolationist stance on the world had led to one very unfortunate oversight. For centuries, humans had no weapon to challenge the fearsome attacks or their skills with the sword, but now – oh and now – gunfire had settled the score. What use were barriers when bullets passed through them easier than water? What use were attacks of the sword if using one left you open or you never got close enough to strike? A single demon or even several dozen were no match for a line of gunmen, a canon shot, or any other technological advantage the humans now possessed. As if that were not enough, they had managed to round up almost every powerful priest and priestess in the region who seemed to take joy on taking out as many demons as they could.

They were overwhelmed.

They were losing.

All they once had was lost forever.

Gone in less than one day.

Thick black clouds of smoke choked the air as a silver haired demon stood in the midst of the flames accompanied by a young terrified looking girl clutching his pant leg like it was her only lifeline. Sesshomaru never said ' _I love you.'_ It simply wasn't his way. For the most part, he was a cold and seemingly heartless demon who would rather die than show any weakness. Frequently away from home on matters of business. Strict, disciplined and of high principle. So, when Rin saw him kneeling down before her, when he dragged her to his chest, and squeezed her lightly, she knew. She knew then that the battle was lost.

"Rin will stay with you," she whispered tearfully as she clung to the closest thing to a father she had ever known, "She will stay."

"No, Rin," he whispered back almost lovingly before pulling back just enough to see her face - one hand moving to cup her face and his thumb gently stroked her cheek affectionately, "You must go. It's not safe here any longer."

"Then come with Rin," she pleaded tearfully, "You don't _have_ to stay. Come with us."

"These are my lands," Sesshomaru sighed - his thumb still gently stroking her cheek, pausing only to wipe away her tears, "I must stay. I will not allow you to fall prey to lesser mortals just because I must."

Swallowing thickly, Rin merely stayed where she stood for as long as she possibly could before she heard Jakken muttering to himself behind her.

"Rin loves you," she whispered quietly, "You've been very good to her. She will never forget you."

"And this Sesshomaru loves Rin," the daiyoukai chuckled softly – his normally emotionless exterior melting as he pressed his lips to her forehead, "Live a life that would make me proud. Perhaps one day we will meet again."

"Where is Rin to go?" she sniffled as tears streamed down her face – the fact that he let down her guard and smiled at her as he only did in private out here in the open making this situation even more traumatizing than it already was, "Where?"

"There is a village in the mountains where you will be safe," he murmured affectionately as he tried to memorize her face before sighing shakily, "In this life, I have not been someone worth admiring. I have committed many wrongs. Made many mistakes. It is time I answer for them. Do not cause trouble by defending me. Keep quiet and listen well to those who care for you. Live long. Live well. That's all I ask."

"Yes, my Lord," Rin mumbled miserably as more tears escaped her eyes, "You say you weren't good, but you were very good to Rin. She will try to make you proud."

With a shuddering sigh, the girl turned and joined the small kappa who quickly led her away from her lord who merely stood amongst the smoldering remains of his palace with an emotionless mask in place. If one were to look closely though, they would notice the way his lip trembled ever so and the shuddering sigh that escaped his lips when she disappeared.

" _ **Sesshomaru**_!" came a slightly defeated sounding voice from behind him – coughing slightly as the intake of air drew thick hot smoke into his lungs causing the rest of the words to come out in a harsh rasp, "They're coming. What should we do? There's too many of them."

"Lord Koga," the daiyoukai replied with an indifferent voice, "Go join your son. Tell the others to leave as well. It is finished. I shall stay and hold them off until you are out of danger."

"Are you _fucking_ kidding me?!" Koga hissed - his eyes flashing dangerously, "Half of my tribe was wiped out following _your_ orders and now you're telling me it was for _nothing_?"

"Your House is one of the only ones that remains," Sesshomaru responded in that infuriatingly stoic tone, "Of those that stayed, only three remain where once we were thirteen strong. To continue fighting would be the end of many strong lines."

"This is all your fault," Koga bellowed angrily, "You and your _sick_ perversions! If you had left those girls alone, if you hadn't started that disgusting business, they wouldn't be at our doorstep now. They wouldn't be demanding our heads! I heard some of these invaders saying that the human general who rallied all these men only did so because _someone_ tortured his _daughter_ after _you_ presented her as a gift! You are _unfit_ to lead! Have been for a while! Step down!"

"There is nothing more to lead. There is nothing for which I can step down," Sesshomaru replied coldly as he waved dismissively, "It is finished. Return to your homeland."

Blinking dumbly at the resigned, defeated looking daiyoukai, Koga scoffed and shook his head in disgust before turning to leave. After a few steps, however, he paused and looked over his shoulder, "Where's that human pet you kept? I smell her. She's nearby. Do you want me to get her?"

"I sent her to join those who left with Lord InuYasha," Sesshomaru murmured back as the corners of his lips twitched upwards, "Jakken will deliver her safely."

"So that's it then," Koga hissed as he huffed in anger and continued towards his men, "I hope they make your death a painful one."


	32. The Evil Within

Relentless. Unceasing. Like a rat gnawing at her very soul. The need for revenge against those who had wronged her family was unyielding. It drove her to possess the one she one called mother and convince her to end her useless life. Her brother was young. Too young to have had any real agency and his own anger proved him worthy of redemption – after all, it was _he_ that ended the one they called father's miserable existence. All without any help from her.

Oh _yes_ , her need for revenge was like an abscess on the skin of the soul that could only be cured by the cruel sharp steel point of merciless slaughter. Festering like a septic wound, and the only effective antibiotic is the death of those who wronged her. Savage. Spiteful. A dish best served cold. Unforgiving. Even in death – or especially as was the case – she bore her grudge. Brutal. Callous. _Satisfying_. But _also_ ….

Empty…

Pointless….

Excessive…

 _Evil_ …

The flame in her soul had no pity, no mind, yet it consumed whatever it pleased and erased the loving woman she had once been. The only criteria for her next victim that was left anymore was whether something could be reduced to ash or something molten and foul. The flames burn hot, short and violent, with not one stitch of herself cared what would be left behind. Hatred masquerades as an ointment to hurt when in truth it is no more than gasoline for the flames. More hatred only guarantees more enmity, more pain, more death ahead, never more healing or an increase in her former humanity. Hatred brought her to unleash a plague against the demons in the north as payment for sins of those who had slain her and who had taken her sister. The drought too was her own doing. In truth, the longer she brooded over the fate that befell her the more powerful she became. By sheer will alone, she inflicted punishment as judge, jury and executioner. She fanned the flames of unrest in the hearts of men until it became a mighty inferno that would destroy everything those bastards held dear would be reduced to ash. Hatred had switched off all parts of her that would've protested. It convinced her that others hurt those she loved and the only way to protect them would be end their miserable lives first.

No sentimentality existed in her soul for the numerous dead – human or demon – as she watched the war raging on in the distance. It was so easy not to think of them as people at all – not that demons were necessary worthy of the term – but to dehumanize them. They were monsters. All of them. They _all_ deserved to _suffer_.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

" ** _INUYASHA_**!" Kagome screamed suddenly as they made the tired and haggard looking group made their ways towards the caves as the sun dipped lower in the sky. Quickly untying him and turning to face him, her own heart faltered in her chest when she saw the way his lips were tinted blue and the deathly stillness of his entire frame. Patting his cheek lightly and getting no response, she turned panicked eyes onto the others in the group as she screamed with full blown hysteria, "HE'S NOT BREATHING! HE'S _NOT_ **_BREATHING_**!"

Launching off her horse, Shiori landed gracefully on the back of Kagome's before sighing shakily, "He _is_ but barely and his heartbeat is weakening. All we can do is hope that when he turns human it'll give him some time to recover."

"Will it go away?" Kagome sniffled as she traced his face with trembling fingertips, "When he's human I mean. Will it go away?"

"I'm not sure," Shiori answered honestly as she took another shaky breath, "All we can do is pray."

"Wait, you pray?" Kagome blurted out in surprise before her face flushed a deep crimson when what she'd insinuated when Shiori gave her a somewhat disgusted look.

"What you don't think demons have _religion_?" Shiori asked in a scathing tone, "That's we're all just mindless heathens?!"

"Just…just humans have temples and, uh, spiritual beings," Kagome murmured miserably as she clutched at Inuyasha's robes, "I didn't think…"

"And you _never_ asked," Shiori clipped back before sighing and visibly relaxing as she begrudgingly admitted, "I'm sorry. I understand your surprise. I guess you would say most demons practice a sect of Shintoism. After all, we're all the creations of the gods themselves. Without them, there would be no demons and there are many gods with whom demons are intimately acquainted. It's hard to say there is no higher power when you come face to face with them."

Nodding, Kagome chewed the inside of her cheek as she processed this new information and sighed, "That makes sense. I just never thought to ask."

"It's not common but it's why many demons think of humans as lower beasts. We're direct descendants and humans are more of a pet project according to some. Some even think humans stole spiritual power from demons and that's how they got any spiritual gifts to begin with. Another reason why so many think nothing of killing as many humans as they can," Shiori offered before sighing, "Not all of us think that way obviously but yes, demons tend to be more religious. Not _fanatical_ but most accept it as a fact of life."

"I like that," Kagome chuckled awkwardly before adding to explain herself, "I mean, I was trained in the spiritual arts at a temple. I'm not fanatical either but I've accepted it as a fact of life. It makes me happy he does as well."

"Then I'm glad for you both," Shiori responded warmly before casting a nervous glance down at the increasingly blue hanyou who let out a sudden, painful sounding gasp that made both of them jump, "We need to take cover soon. If he's still having trouble breathing or stops altogether, we might need to take more drastic measures. I don't want him to die anymore than you."

"There's something that's been bothering me," Kagome whispered quietly so only Shiori would hear, "I've felt a demonic presence following us for some time. I assumed it was one of you since it was familiar but I've focused on all of you and it's not the same. I'm going to cast a barrier once we reach the cave if that's alright."

"That's probably wise," Shiori agreed just as quietly, "I've noticed it as well as has Ginta. We've been trying to stay by the rear in case of attack."

"Try to spread the word to the others just in case," Kagome breathed anxiously as she glanced over Shiori's shoulder and narrowed her eyes, "And we probably should pick up the pace."

"Agreed," Shiori responded before executing a graceful leap and landing neatly onto her horse as Ginta stared at her with a mixture of awe and something akin to lust before moving his horse nearer to her and leaning over to whisper something in the half-demon's ear that made her blush a deep crimson. Slowly, the message was sent to the remaining members who all tensed and began glancing around anxiously. This was bad. Very bad. Whomever was following them wasn't a friend and what purpose they had with them was an _utter_ mystery.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Fear travelled through Rin's veins as she approached the thick line of men that stood between her and the treeline but it never made it to her facial muscles or skin. Her complexion remained pale and matte as she glanced down at the bag that Master Jakken was currently hiding inside. This was bad. If any single man in this line possessed spiritual powers, Master Jakken was toast. A preliminary glance though told her these were merely ordinary men – not one donned any form of robe and they looked more peasant than anything.

"YOU THERE! HALT!" one of the men suddenly bellowed as she drew closer, "STATE YOUR BUSINESS!"

"I am traveling to meet with my family at a small village on the other side of the mountains," she responded with a steady voice that surprised even her, "Let me pass."

"Your family let a girl wander around by _themselves_?!" the man snarled suspiciously, "How old are you?"

"It is none of your…" Rin began coldly before her eyebrows shot up in surprise when a young boy not much older than herself suddenly came riding up from the distance.

"Sister! I was _so_ worried! I thought you were dead!" the young boy began breathlessly before turning to face the men, "Good sirs. You are aware I had one sister who had been kidnapped and I believed the other dead. There was a third as well whose fate was unknown and I'm so relieved to find her alive. Please meet my sister, Chiyo."

"Chiyo, eh?" the man asked wearily as he glanced between the boy who was holding up the general's seal and the well dressed girl, "Why you never mention _her_ before?"

"I believed her to be dead. Her death was more painful than the others due to her age so I avoided bringing her up as it caused me too much grief but I am beyond relieved that it seems I was mistaken. There's no doubt it's her so please, let her pass with me."

Rolling his eyes, the burly man shrugged indifferently before instructing his men to make way. Rin could hardly believe her luck as she eyed the boy curiously. Whoever he was, surely he couldn't be so very bad. Surely not.


	33. You Stupid Bitch

It was chaos. Sheer and utter _chaos_. Another scream tore through her like a thousand shards of glass. Kagome felt her eyes widen and pulse quicken, her heart thudding like a rock rattling in box, as she ran. It wasn't like she really had a choice. It was terrifyingly clear that their goal was to get their hands on her and maim anyone who got in their way. The first casualty in the bloody battle that erupted without warning was a poor half-demon child – no older than four or five in human years – who had jumped to Kagome's defense when she was ripped unceremoniously from her horse. Kagome paused for a minute as she tried to recall that moment. It seemed like Sango had been attempting to take her without injuring anyone else. The rope that held the comatose Inuyasha to her had been slit quicker than she could blink. The only reason the baku hadn't been successful in dragging the miko away was because that child….oh god…that _child_ had jumped to her defense – clawing and scratching every surface she could get her tiny hands onto. In one fell swoop, Sango had slit the little thing's throat without so much as batting an eyelash and that's when all hell broke loose. Immediately, everyone converged on her and Miroku like bats out of hell while Kagome realized what needed to be done. And so she ran – the good it would really do. A shadow to her right had another scream ripping through her – desperate and terrified. The blood drained from her face and before she was even aware that she made a conscious decision, her legs pounded furiously on the uneven mountain terrain. It was so pointless. She knew that. Still, she wanted to get as far away from the others as humanly possible. She needed to run. Taking ragged breaths, she tried to find the shadow stalking her through the trees – her ears straining for any sound or clues to the location of her stalkers. There was no escaping this hell. None. Whatever purpose they had for her led to nowhere she wanted to go. Although she knew Sango and Miroku had to be under some third parties control, the fact that whatever spell it was worked so completely left little hope for their salvation. Palms burning a deep pink, Kagome opened her mouth to scream when something suddenly descended at inhuman speed from above.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Why did you help Rin?" a small timid voice rang out behind him, "She is thankful for your help but won't you at least tell Rin your name?"

"Why do you speak that way?" the boy asked curiously as he glanced over his shoulder and arched a brow – his lips twitching upwards as he continued, "It's…. _odd_."

"This is how Rin was raised to speak," the ebony haired girl answered softly before sniffling and lifting a single hand to wipe away the tears threatening to fall, "By her…her, um….father."

"Where _is_ your father?" the strange boy asked slyly as he gave the girl a knowing side-eyed glance when she caught up to him, "Perhaps we can return you to him."

"That isn't possible but thank you for offering," Rin responded before taking a shuddering breath, "He is somewhere Rin cannot go."

"Ah," the boy acknowledged before cracking his neck and glancing expectantly into the trees, "It should give you some comfort that soon my real sister will be with us. I've sent a team to retrieve her. Then we can proceed back to the main camp."

"Rin isn't going to the main camp," the girl responded weakly as her gut twisted from nerves, "She must make her way to the mountains."

"What's in the mountains?" the boy scoffed, "That's suicide. There's nothing there."

"There's a village where Rin will be safe. That is where she will go," Rin replied quietly – her nerves beginning to run ragged as she glanced down at the bag where Jakken still remained hidden, "Where is your sister?"

"She was taken from me many moons ago," the boy replied eerily as he continued to scan the tree line, "Sold to demons for a life worse than death. I have, uh, recruited a few demons to my cause. Forcibly, of course. Not that it matters but it's nice to give them a taste of their own medicine."

Eyes growing wide, alarm bells began ringing deafeningly in her head as she inhaled sharply. This was bad. So very bad. This boy was not her savior after all.

"How, uh….how did you force them to help you?" Rin asked in as calm a tone as she could muster, "It…it seems to Rin that it would be very hard to control a demon."

Laughing derisively, the boy fiddled with his pocket for a moment before procuring a small pink orbed that seemed to pulse in his palm and a set of onyx beads with cowry shells interspersed ever so, "With these. I control their every action and they're powerless against me. I could kill them in an instant if I wanted to, make them kill on my orders or fall on their own claws."

Eyes widening in full panic, a somewhat hysterical laugh escaped her before she could bite it back which earned a suspicious and appraising look from the sadistically smiling boy before her. Clapping her hand quickly over her mouth, Rin tensed as the boy set his jaw and narrowed his eyes before he crooned in a cold, harsh tone, "Do you have something you wish to tell me?"

"No, no," Rin laughed – her nerves getting the better of her and the words tumbling out in a semi-hysterical tone, "Just, uh, demons are scary. Rin doesn't like the idea of one being so close or making one so mad. Those beads must make them very mad."

It was clear – beyond any measure of a doubt – that the boy didn't believe a single word that had just left her mouth as his lips formed a thin white line and his cold eyes suddenly drifted down to the slightly trembling bag near her ankle, "I think something is alive in your bag, little girl. Why don't you empty it out for me?"

"Oh, you don't want Rin to do that," Rin breathed as her whole body trembled and her heart raced in her chest, "There's nothing in there that a boy should see."

"What if I were to tell you I was no boy?" the eerie and utterly terrifying figure crooned as his lips stretched over his slightly yellowing teeth, "What if I were to tell you I knew exactly who you were when I saved your hide from those warriors? You really will make an _excellent_ vessel."

Rin opened her mouth to scream but – to her terror – no sound came out and it felt like her blood froze in her veins as a strange mist began leaving the orifices of the boy before drifting towards her.

"There is no need to be frightened, little girl," a disembodied woman's voice whispered gently, "It won't even hurt. I _promise_ you. You won't even realize I am there at all."

It was in that moment that Jakken made the unfortunate decision to come to his young ward's rescue. In less time than it took to blink, before he even had a chance to raise a hand in his own defense, he erupted into flame and crumbled to ash that blew away in the breeze. Closing her own eyes, a shuddering sigh escaped Rin's lips and several tears managed to escape as the mist entered her body.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Tears streamed down Sango's face as she was forced to fight back against her weary and exhausted brethren. As she cast a worried glance towards her equally imprisoned love, it was obvious that he had checked out entirely – his sapphire eyes vacant, face slack – but there was still a moment hesitancy not visible to the naked eye…unless you were looking for it. There was just enough of a delay for the demon defending themselves to move out of harm's way, just enough delay for them to land a good blow, just enough delay to show that Miroku _was_ still in there somewhere buried deep underneath the overwhelming compulsion that drowned their souls. Sango wanted for them to kill her before she hurt them. More than anything, she wanted the red line of fate that tethered her to this corporal form to be severed so she might escape this hell. The worst was in that moment she realized _he_ was missing – whether slain or merely able to escape she wasn't sure – and…and Kagome too had managed to escape undetected. Quickly putting two and two together, Sango's heart both leapt for joy and plummeted to her stomach as she glanced around anxiously – easily evading the attempted blows coming her way. There was something off about their scents. Inuyasha smelled different somehow and Kagome's scent was far more _stale_ than his – as though they left at different times. Realization hit her like a ton of bricks as her heart skipped a beat and she turned panic stricken eyes towards Miroku who seemed to sense her spike of distress. Before she could open her mouth to explain, before she could take chase, that evil jewel suddenly called out to her and she found herself powerless to fight against it.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I _prayed_ for you," came a angry, harsh raspy voice from the ground where her brother had collapsed – with each word, the voice grew stronger and ever so more incensed, "Buried _you_. Mourned for _you_. Killed father for _you_. And _this_ is how you chose to repay my kindness. My _love_?! By _enslaving_ me and ruining **_any_** chance I had to earn Kagome's forgiveness!?"

"Come now, Sota," the possessed girl laughed haughtily as she rolled her eyes and sent him a smug smirk, "Kagome will forgive you and sing your praises. Worry not."

"She fucking loves that demon, you _stupid_ bitch!" Sota seethed, "Those were her _friends_ you tortured. That _you_ ordered _killed_ in cold blood. You really think she'll listen to _anything_ I have to say!?"

"Her mind is merely addled," the girl continued in a somewhat exasperated tone as she rolled her eyes, "Once she's made to see reason…"

"Oh, she's the one who needs to see reason?!" Sota damn near screamed – a somewhat hysterical sounding chuckle escaping his lips, "She's the one whose mind is addled?!"

"What are you implying?" the girl responded coldly, "My mind has never been more clear or so free."

"I'm implying the _only_ thing you're doing is writing yourself a one way ticket to _hell_!" Sota hissed before a smirk curled on his lips as his hand subtly made its way into his pocket where he grasped the pulsing jewel tightly in his fist, "And I'll be _damned_ if you take me with you."


	34. Does That Make Me Crazy?

Blinking sluggishly, the first thing that he registered was pain. An excruciating amount of pain the likes of which he had never known. Oh, he had been stabbed through and sliced to ribbons but even that was tolerable. This feeling, however, was entirely new and left him with only one conclusion as his vision blurred. He was _dying_. Actively no less from an unseen force of nature that had taken so many before him. While the idea of death didn't disturb him, it seemed entirely inconvenient given the circumstances. If he were to die, who would carry on his legacy? It wasn't as though he had a mate or any spawn. Furrowing his brow, he mulled over the former. Instincts never lied and they began screaming at him the minute his mind denied the existence of a mate. Closing his eyes once more, ignoring the sounds of battle going on around him, he breathed deeply and attempted to delve into his subconscious to determine whether Inuyasha **_had_** taken a mate. What he found shocked even him. Not only had that imbecile _imprinted_ on someone, he had – in fact – _not_ mated her. That left his mind with only one conclusion. She had refused him.

 _That_ **_bitch_**.

That was entirely unacceptable. Beyond _any_ measure of a doubt. Inuyasha may have been too weak to force the issue but that barely surprised him. That fool tended to hold dear the foreign value of morality as though it was the key to power. They may share a body but for the life of him, there was no explaining such behavior. Fortunately, however, Inuyasha was gone. For the moment at least. Where he had failed to claim what was rightfully his, the being currently in control had no qualms about it. This battle was irksome, however, as was the overwhelming ache in his bones. Whatever that pathetic fool had managed to do to their body was on the verge of killing them all and that too was entirely unacceptable when there was no one to continue their legacy. As his crimson eyes fluttered open once more, he glanced around at the increasingly blood soaked scenery. They were in the forest, which was strange, and more importantly, the woman whose scent called to him was fleeing on foot. To escape his clutches or to avoid the ongoing battle was uncertain. For the most part, however, it seemed that all the warriors around him were ignoring him entirely and it made it all too easy to slip away undetected.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sound that escaped Kagome's mouth as the blur descended overhead caused even nature to take pause. Filled with utter hysteria and disbelief as she held her palm above her head defensively as though somehow that would be enough to save her. The problem was that she _didn't_ want to harm those who had been sent to retrieve her. To hurt them would be like thrusting a sword through her own heart with the detriment of not actually dying as a result. So taking a shuddering breath, she forced her hand down and clutched it against her chest as she closed her eyes. A second passed. Then two. Then three. A full minute passed that felt like hours and then, only then, did she dare open her eyes and breathed a shaky sigh of relief.

"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered tearfully as she gave him a watery smile that faded just as fast as it arrived when she studying him more closely in the dwindling light of day. His eyes were a bloody crimson and the iris was a piercing blue; jagged purple marks adorned his cheeks and there was something cruel in his face that she had never witnessed. There was no doubt in her mind that it was – in fact – the hanyou who had treated her so sweetly and professed his love and yet…and yet it _wasn't_.

"Undress" a grovelly voice barked out harshly as he bared his fangs causing the miko to flinch and stare at him in mild horror, "Are you fucking _deaf_? Undress or I'll do it for you."

Shaking her head numbly, Kagome tried to take deep even breaths to calm the panic growing in her chest. It wasn't him. He would never force her. _Never_. She…she trusted him. He'd never given her a reason to doubt him.

"Fine. Have it your way then," the stranger crooned as he gave her a sadistic smirk and flashed his claws for effect, "He's denied me this for too long and I can't imagine he'll be displeased by this turn of events."

No matter how loudly her mind screamed at her to run, she seemed frozen to the spot – a mere spectator to the way that demon's hands forced her onto the ground, ripping her clothes off as she slammed to the unforgiving earth until she was as naked as the day she was born. Tears streamed down her face as she pleaded hoarsely for him to stop and clenched her eyes shut when he shed his own clothing. Bile forced it's way up her throat as his hand cupped her breast before sliding down her side and resting on her hip.

"Look at me," the creature demanded angrily as his other hand painfully gripped her face, "I said **_look_** at me!"

Cringing, Kagome forced her eyes open and cried out in terror when the hand on her hip moved to pry her legs apart while his mouth lowered to the nape of her neck. Gently, ever so gently, he ran his fangs across the fragile skin as he moved to settle between her legs – the gentle throbbing at her entrance making her want to die on the spot. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. This wasn't supposed to happen. Never again. He promised to protect her. Mashing her teeth together so hard she thought they might break, she chanced a glance up at his face and her eyes grew as wide as dinner plates. He had stilled and while his face was the epitome of self-righteousness, his eyes were crying. More than crying. Crimson they still might be but the terror in them, the utter horror and disgust that filled them, made her realize he was just as much a victim in this situation as she was becoming. He was trapped in his own body as much as she was pinned beneath it.

"Inuyasha," Kagome managed to croak hoarsely as her eyes searched his for affirmation. For a minute those crimson orbs met her gaze full of recognition and pain before quickly looking at the ground beside her head. His whole body shook as though he was fighting against himself to prevent this atrocity from going any further. So taking another steadying breath, Kagome swallowed thickly before begging quietly, "I...I know you would never hurt me. I...I know you're still in there. Come back to me. _Please_."

Startled looking crimson eyes met her gaze for – but a moment – as the sun set in the distance and a shudder ran through his body. His hair faded to black, his eyes bled into a deep chocolate and as the marks on his face faded a relieved yet heartbroken sigh left his lips before he unsteadily forced himself off of her. Quickly relieving himself of his hoari, he threw it at her before turning to stumble weakly away from her as he quickly went over the best and fastest ways to kill oneself in his mind.

"Wait. Please wait," Kagome cried after him as she scrambled to her feet – not seeming to mind the total absence of her clothing as she followed him. His legs were shaking from the effort of keeping himself upright – the excursion his inner demon had endeavored upon left him feeling drained and the sheer agony of his heart shattering into a million pieces made him hope that this damn illness took him away sooner rather than later.

"Let me go," Inuyasha pleaded hoarsely as he collapsed onto his knees and buried his hands into the soggy forest floor, "Leave me. I don't deserve anything from you. I'm a monster. I'm no different than…than _him_."

"No," Kagome whispered as she knelt down beside him and gently cupped his chin, "You are different. You were just…. _possessed_. Like Sango and Miroku. It's not your fault what happened."

"It is," Inuyasha chuckled darkly as took a shuddering breath and wrenched his face out of her grasp, "It is different. S'not like I was possessed. He's part of me. He's...he's..."

A wave of nausea overwhelmed him then - a mixture of disgust and illness - and he emptied the limited contents of his stomach onto the cold ground - his whole being shaking uncontrollable as he sobbed and wretched, sobbed and wretched before flinching when Kagome's hand rubbed soothing circles on his back.

"I love you," Kagome managed to croak as a new onslaught of tears made themselves known, "I…I know _you_ would never hurt me on purpose. I know that. More than I've ever known _anything_."

"But I did," he whispered in a frightened tone of voice – his human body doing nothing to stave the tears he normally was able to stamp down as he clenched his eyes shut as he swallowed thickly to force down the bile in his throat, "I did hurt you. I could again...and...and..."

It was becoming increasingly harder to breath in a manner no way related to his illness. Every beat of his heart was absolutely _excruciating_. All he wanted was to die in that moment. To escape the pain and agony wrenching through his very soul.

"I forgive you," Kagome responded shakily before gently cupping his face to force him to look at her and softly ran her thumb across the corner of his mouth to remove the remnants of his sick. For a moment, he breathed heavily, averting his eyes before Kagome surprised them both gently leaned in to press her lips to his before resting her temple against his own, "I could never hate you. Never. And...and it wasn't _really_ you. I _have_ to believe that. I do."

"I hate myself enough for both of us. You may forgive me but...but I just _can't_..." Inuyasha admitted in a broken, defeated tone as closed his eyes - refusing to accept this soothing gesture as he pulled back, "Not when I…I..."

Sighing shakily, Kagome took a steadying breath before gently climbing into his very exposed lap and arranging herself in an extremely erotic way that had him releasing a choked sob as he shook his head.

"This isn't what I want," he whimpered miserably as he took a deep heaving breath and tears cascaded down his face, "That wasn't what I wanted. You…"

Cupping his face and pressing her lips urgently against his, Kagome rocked her hips gently against his exposed organ earning a shuddering gasp – his arms flying up to hold her instinctively, tensing for but a moment before hesitantly returning this unexpected show of affection. After several minutes where they merely held each other, Kagome's lips began exploring on their own – slowly tracing his jaw line until they reached his human ear, gently taking his ear lobe into her mouth and gently tugging earning a breathy moan from the man underneath her.

"You…you don't need to…" Inuyasha tried to formulate a rational response as she continued this torture and his hips bucked of their own accord, "I don't deserve this. It isn't…."

"Maybe it's what I want," Kagome whispered into the shell of his ear, making a shiver run down his spine, "I want to know what it's like to be with someone I _love_ and who loves _me_ for a change. To...to know...to be sure I...I can...I don't know...Maybe I…"

A deep moan escaped his lips as she tugged his ear lobe once more and his hips bucked involuntarily against her. His treacherous body reacting in a very primal way to her attentions before he reached up gently to force her away.

"How can you even _look_ at me after what happened?" he asked shakily after a moment as a single tear slipped down his cheek, "Much less want to…to…"

"I'm tired of being afraid. So tired of hurting," Kagome answered after a moment as she moved to rest her cheek against his shoulder and tucked her face beneath his chin, "And I'm not going to…to…well, I want to….to know what it _should_ be like I guess."

Cringing at the lame finish, Kagome breathed a sigh of relief as his arms came up to embrace her and squeezed lightly – overwhelmingly grateful that the strange and wonderful feeling of safety that flooded her still existed after everything. She could feel the bob of his Adam's apple as he tried to come up with a proper response. On the one hand, his treacherous body was making it quite clear that it had no problem whatsoever with her advances but his mind….his mind couldn't erase the image of her terrified face when he finally managed to gain some semblance of control. _Control_ …

"What if I can't control him?" he whispered back shakily as he clutched her a little tighter, "What if I hurt you?"

"You're human right now. It shouldn't be a problem tonight," Kagome began slowly as she tried to answer honestly, "And if when you're a half-demon again, you, uh, have an…unwelcome visitor, then I guess I'll try to use some spiritual power to give you the chance to come back to me. I'll find you and bring you home. I will _never_ give up on you. No matter what. You never gave up on me, did you?"

Another choked sob escaped his lips as he clutched her to him like she was his last lifeline while she held him to her just as fiercely.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"LADY _SANGO_! LORD _MIROKU_!" an all too familiar voice called out as the two demons entered the small clearing, "Please! Save me! Rin has been kidnapped!"

Sango's gut twisted angrily as she saw the small child in the clearing – paler than normal and trembling – and the boy who was the harbinger of pain standing there with an incredulous look on his face that bordered on rage.

"How dare you!" the boy hissed angrily as he took a menacing step forward, "I will not stand here and allow you to do this."

"Please. Rin can remove those beads from your neck," the girl pleaded in a falsely desperate tone, "You don't have to follow his orders."

"Dumbass, how the hell would some random ass girl know about those, huh?" Sota snapped back acidly before glancing over his shoulder at the two demons, "Under _no_ circumstance grab her. I don't care if she tries to slit my throat or her own. She's already purified that weird toad and I will _not_ let her take another life. No more. Got that _Kikyo_! I'm done with your sick games!"

Sango's eyes widened as she glanced at Miroku who seemed to be appraising the young woman with a skeptical eye – his jaw set and twitching as he then turned his attention to the boy.

"I must agree it's strange that she knew of the beads," Miroku sighed heavily before his eyes widened in shock and his hand flew to his throat, "Wait. I can talk…"

"Of _course_. I've released you!" Sota huffed in frustration as he held up the jewel, "The _second_ you stepped into the clearing. I needed witnesses and I wanted to show I'm not _her_. Kagome'll never forgive me if I showed up after this bitch forced me to torture you. I needed…"

In a flash Sango had his throat in a vice grip as she held him high above the ground and hissed angrily, "Like I'd ever let you get close to her you vile, conniving little…"

"Sango, stop this," Miroku rasped hoarsely – his vocal chords straining in their newfound freedom, "I do believe he's telling the truth."

"So you would believe this pathetic excuse of a man over me!" Rin screeched angrily before her eyes widened as she realized what she'd done, "I mean…no Rin means, that I…that she…"

Releasing the boy – who crumpled to the ground gasping for air – Sango turned slowly to face the possessed Rin with murder gleaming in her eyes, "It _was_ **_you_**."

"Don't hurt the girl," Sota gasped between heaving breaths as he shakily pushed himself onto all fours before bracing himself to stand, "She's…not…it's a…onryo. My sister who…died…we…need… _Kagome_ …"

Nodding once in understanding, Sango took a tentative step backwards and grasped the young boy by the collar before moving to grasp Miroku as well – her eyes never leaving the small girl who had suddenly erupted in hot pink flame that had no effect on her body but spoke of certain death.

"You think that pathetic traitor to humanity will be enough to destroy _me_!" the child screeched in an inhuman voice before cackling madly, "You think she'd destroy the one who spared her pathetic life by taking her place!"

"Kikyo, don't be like this," Sota pleaded desperately as he held his arms out protectively and tried to call upon his own spiritual power to cast a barrier if necessary, "There is a still a chance at salvation. Stand down. You don't have to hurt anyone. Just..."

"That's where you're wrong," the child hissed back as her eyes glowed a menacing crimson, "So very wrong."

A blast erupted in the clearing knocking the three other occupants onto their backs as the girl's body rocketed into the air and rushed towards the mountains.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

A young boy waited anxiously on the deck of his humble abode – his legs swinging idly on the edge as he played nervously with his hands. Sango had promised she'd arrive before the others so they could bring them to safety quicker. Maybe…maybe she didn't….

Shaking his head, he refused to think of such thoughts and instead closed his eyes.

' _Eh, I'm sure she's fine. Don't worry so much_ ,' a snarky male voice snorted derisively before yipping when the sound of a resounding slap and an exasperated somewhat whiny voice cut in, ' _You're such a jerk! Maybe she's hurt or something. Shouldn't he at least check on her! She's the only family he has left! How can you be so insensitive!?_ '

' _Oh I'm insensitive, huh? You go around slapping people! You know how much that shit hurts!?_ ' the snarky male voice shot back earning himself a huff of exasperation, " _Why you_ …"

' _Why don't we get nakey_?' a small childlike voice interrupted suddenly followed by a high pitched giggle, ' _You guys can't be angry if you're both nakey_.'

"Oh my _god_ , all of you _shut_ **_up_**!" the young boy snapped angrily as he clutched both hands over his ears – earning himself some pitying glances from women passing by with their laundry balanced on their hip, "If she's not here by sundown, we'll _all_ go see if we can find them. Now just…. _shut_ **_up_**!"

Huffing exasperatedly, the boy swung his legs a few times before gracefully flipping in the air and landed a few feet away before he headed towards the general mess hall. Perhaps she'd sent word and they hadn't given it to him out of fear he'd do something crazy. It was a strange thing. To realize that the voices in your head weren't _real_ per se but honestly, in his opinion at least, just because something was in your head didn't mean it wasn't real. Sure, sometimes he'd lash out angrily for no apparent reason and sometimes there were weeks, if not _months_ , that he couldn't remember. Maybe he'd destroyed one too many buildings because one of the voices convinced him that setting the roof on fire would look awesome. For the most part though – and he knew this beyond any reasonable doubt – he would never, ever hurt Sango. Never. She could build a roasting pit and he would wait patiently for her to begin skinning him alive. All with a smile. She never treated him differently. No matter _what_ he did. No matter how scared or hesitant everyone else was around him. He was her brother. Hell, he could go around trying to murder every living creature in existence and she would still love him.

God, love was strange.

No…. _Sango_ was strange for still loving him despite _everything_.

And they called _him_ crazy.

Oh yes, _them_. Calling him crazy. They all feared him, hated him, called him names behind his back. From the bottom of his heart, he knew they all hoped he'd drop dead or at the very least, leave their village forever. No one cared for him. Well, Sango cared for him but she'd left him here under the guise of protecting him. Like that was really…

Sighing heavily, the boy shook his head. He knew she loved him. She visited regularly and had offered numerous times to have him come stay with her in the palace. It was _him_ that refused to leave and join her. But the voices whispered in his ear….or more accurately his mind…that she hated him like everyone else. That everyone wanted him to leave. They were plotting, always plotting, how to get rid of him. Hell, there were times he wanted to help them. To escape this living hell.

' _Oi! You can't be serious! You can't fucking kill yourself! I won't let you_ ,' the snarky voice clipped out tersely as soon as that thought crossed his mind, ' _Fucking bullshit is what that is. How dare you…_ '

"I said fucking _shut_ **_up_** ," the boy cursed under his breath as he pointedly ignored the voices ringing out in his head like alarm bells. He didn't even get privacy in his thoughts. Now they were all up in arms. Screaming and crying like whiny little bitches. Pausing to take a steadying breath, he gave a strained smile to an elderly lady who was hobbling towards him, looking quite worried. Her mouth was moving but he couldn't hear her over the din.

"Are you alright, Kohaku? Why don't you come in and take a rest? I'll make that soup you like," the old woman pleaded desperately as she watched the boy shake his head frantically and tug at his hair murmuring to himself to be quiet. It frankly broke her heart. Broke all their hearts to watch his suffering. After his parents died, his mind snapped in twain and it was agreed by all to care for him, make sure he was eating, that he wouldn't hurt himself. The fires he'd caused had made some uneasy but other than that, he was harmless. Plus he only burned down the buildings that had remained vacant. No lives were endangered. Sighing heavily, the old woman reached up with a wrinkled hand and gently pried his fingers out of his hair, "Now stop that. You'll hurt yourself. Come. I'll make you that soup you like. You need to eat."


	35. How Could You Not Know?

As much as he wanted her – even in his human form – this was neither the time or the place and…and she deserved so much better than a quick rut in the woods after all she'd been through. It should be meaningful not….whatever the _hell_ this had been. Still, he had to bite back another moan as she rocked her hips against him as she hungrily kissed his lips.

"It's not…that I….don't…want this…" Inuyasha tried to explain in between the feverish kisses that sent the blood his mind so desperately needed elsewhere, "Just…not here. Not like this."

Taking a long, heavy sigh as she pulled back, Kagome coyly crossed her arms across her bare chest as a brilliant pink blush graced her cheeks. Giving him a shy, sheepish grin, she nodded once as she mumbled good-naturedly before sticking out her tongue in a playful fashion, "I was just trying to show I still love you."

"And I still love you," he chuckled shakily – the close proximity of….of….her making it harder to breathe than he'd like to admit, before he added without really thinking it through, "I mean, sex doesn't necessarily mean you love someone. God knows _how_ many women I've fucked in my…in my…"

Eyes widening in horror, Inuyasha cringed and cowered slightly as a spark of anger flashed in her eyes, "You _don't_ **_know_** how many women you've slept with? That's…that's…."

"Don't see why you care. I didn't even know their names half the time. Not like they mean anything," Inuyasha spat back defensively – mentally kicking himself as the words spilled from his mouth of their own accord, "Besides, uh, it's in my nature. Demons, uh, need to mate."

"Let me get this straight," Kagome spat back acidly as she clumsily got to her feet and moved to retrieve the top he'd discarded for her. Angrily shrugging it on and attempting to fashion it into some type of dress, she huffed, "You don't know how many women you've fucked. You don't know their names. Demons are just rampant sex freaks so sex doesn't mean anything to you. Do I have that right?"

Finishing her rant, she pulled one strap tightly around her waist before folding her arms across her chest and arched a brow as her eye twitched. Cringing, Inuyasha slowly – ever so slowly – got to his feet before moving to get his pants and putting them back on, "Just because that's how I used to be, doesn't mean that sex with you wouldn't be _different_. I mean, I _imprinted_ on you. You're fucking _mine_."

"Oh, so I'm your _property_ now? Is _that_ it?" Kagome hissed back as she set her jaw and moved her hands to her hips, "I'm just yours to fuck until you get tired of me and go fuck a bunch of nameless whores?!"

"Oh my _god_ , woman! Will you _listen_ to yourself?!" Inuyasha bellowed angrily as he set his shoulders and marched up to her, "I imprinted on _you_. I love _you_! Do you even know what it's _like_ to be a half demon?! **_DO YOU_**?! I'll explain it to you in small words so you understand. We never find mates unless they imprint on us. Shit, if I'd imprinted on another demon, I'd be shit out of luck. Know _why_?! Because no one wants us. _No one_. Ask _any_ of the people in my house. _All_ abandoned. _All_ unwanted. Those women I slept with?! If they knew me beforehand they _never_ said my name when we were together. Not _once_. Those who didn't already know it never _wanted_ to know my name and they never asked so I didn't ask them either. Most woman who _did_ give me a piece of ass and knew who I was, ignored me in public. _Half_ of them told stories that I'd slept with some _unnamed_ friend so everyone in court thought I was a _whore_. That I _wasn't_ mate material. So, don't you _dare_ judge me if I took what I could get! That's all I _ever_ thought I'd get!"

As Inuyasha panted, his rage started to fade away leaving only horror in its place as he stared at Kagome's paling face and the tears welling in her sapphire eyes. Chocolate eyes widening in panic, he cringed and began to plead as he offered her a apologetic grimace, "No. No, _wait_. Don't _cry_! _Please_ don't cry. I didn't…"

If anything, that only served to increase the number of tears as Kagome launched herself into his arms and began weeping uncontrollably. In all honesty, Inuyasha wasn't sure whether this was a good turn of events. On the one hand, she was bawling. On the other, _she'd_ embraced _him_. _Why_ though?

Awkwardly embracing her back, Inuyasha sighed as he rested his cheek atop her head before his breath caught when he heard her muffled voice.

"Just…just _don't_ leave me," she whimpered softly, sniffling once before adding, "I'm sorry I got mad."

"Don't be sorry," he admonished softly as he wrapped his arms a little tighter around her – a light chuckle leaving his lips as he continued, "I liked it actually. You didn't back down until I played dirty."

"So how many women have you slept with?" Kagome asked shakily earning a resigned sigh and a wince as Inuyasha mumbled back, "Thirty. Maybe more. _Probably_ more."

"Any kids?" Kagome asked in a strange, high pitched tone that had the poor hanyou feeling like this was a trick question, "Not that _I_ know exist, I guess."

"Well, at least there's that," Kagome sighed before biting her lip and continuing, "I'm not going to say that's okay because _really_ it's not. That being said though, _I'm_ pretty much ruined goods as it is so…."

"I'm going to stop you _right_ there," Inuyasha interrupted harshly once her words registered in his mind, "You're _not_ ruined goods. I _never_ want to hear you say that again. What happened _wasn't_ your fault. Don't compare our situations. And I _know_ it's bad. I do. But know that I'll never cheat on you. _Ever_. If the day comes that I do, you have my permission to fry my ass with _everything_ you've got."

"So there's a chance then," Kagome laughed awkwardly at a poor attempt to lighten the conversation earning a groan and a roll of the eyes from the man holding her while he mumbled under his breath, "That's _not_ funny."

For a moment, they merely held each other in silence before Inuyasha cleared his throat and asked sheepishly, "So…..we're okay then?"

Nodding against him, Kagome pulled back and smiled. That smile, however, quickly fell as she glanced over her shoulder, "Sango and Miroku should've come for me by now. Could they…could they be dead?"

Shuddering slightly, Inuyasha swallowed once before answering, "Maybe they just retreated. We should take shelter either way. At least until the sun comes up and then we'll check for survivors."

' _Survivors_ …' Kagome thought grimly as tears welled in her eyes once more. So much death and violence. What was the world coming to anymore?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"We need to get back," Sango huffed as she brushed herself off and helped Miroku to his feet, "I know tonight's his night and I don't like the idea of him being unprotected."

"Sango….we _did_ just attack their camp. They might not _want_ us to return," Miroku responded with a dejected sigh before gesturing at the boy getting to his feet, " _Especially_ if we bring _him_."

"I'm sorry I couldn't fight her," Sota sighed heavily as he ran his fingers through his short hair, "I tried for a long time. Months even but she's too strong. If you don't want to go back to camp, we should go after that girl. Don't you guys know her?"

"She's one of the lord's pets," Sango responded bitterly before furrowing her brow and casting a worried look towards the unseen palace, "If she's unaccompanied, Sesshomaru _must_ have fallen. He'd never leave her behind. That must mean it's over."

"You called her a pet," Sota asked curiously before a pensive look came over his face, "Is Kagome a pet?"

Laughing outright, Miroku quickly smothered his chuckles before shaking his head, "No. Kagome is _not_ a pet. She's….well she's, uh…. _wait_ , how much do you know about her situation?"

"What she pulled out of you too and that about sums it up," Sota answered blandly, "So, who's this demon that's in love with her? Is he nice?"

"I've been friends with him for _well_ over a hundred years," Sango sighed as she scratched her neck idly, "Inuyasha may be stubborn, hot headed and impulsive but he's one of the best people I know."

"Sounds like they're a good match then," Sota chuckled as his lips twitched upwards before falling just as quickly, "Were the rumors true? Did she…"

Nodding glumly, Sango swallowed once before continuing, "Inuyasha killed the bastard that did it and several others to protect her but….but they were cunning and got to her when they knew she'd be alone."

"I'm glad _someone_ fought for her," Sota replied quietly after a long moment where he chewed over this information, "It should never have gotten to that point. If I'd've said or done something sooner, everyone would be fine."

"How _did_ she end up at the palace?" Miroku asked suddenly as he turned to look at Sango, "Did she ever tell you?"

"Just that she was taken from a village by the sea," Sango replied after a moment, "That her sister was dead but her father, mother and brother were still living. That her father had sold her."

"I killed the man who called himself our father and our mother killed herself," Sota answered miserably, "And Kikyo wasn't _just_ dead. They only wanted one so they killed the one they didn't want. _That's_ why _she's_ so angry."

"And you're not?" Sango asked after a moment as she gave him an appraising look, "I can feel the spiritual energy radiating off of you. You are powerful in your own right despite killing a man."

"The world isn't black and white," Sota responded as he shrugged, "Humans can be evil as cans demons or even spirits but that doesn't mean they're all terrible. I can't blacklist an entire race for the actions of a few. So, if I'm angry at _anyone_ , it's myself for not standing up for my sisters."

"You're very young," Miroku sighed as he arched a brow, "Too young."

"Well, I've been forced to grow up," Sota huffed dismissively, "Now, we need to go get that girl. I need to save _both_ my sisters and the only way to do that is to put one to rest."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Kohaku, I _promise_ I haven't heard any news and that we're _just_ as concerned," the steward to the village sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair, "We're going to be sending out a party in the morning to retrieve their entourage and scout for any incoming enemies. Sango is _strong_ , though. She's probably _fine_."

 _'Fuck this guy_ ,' the snarky voice sneered as Kohaku forced a smile onto his face, _'He's lying. You can smell it on him.'_

"If you hear anything, you'll tell me right?" Kohaku asked in a strained tone – intentionally ignoring the voices in his head as they chimed in agreement. When the steward nodded and gave him a kind smile, Kohaku bowed and rigidly began walking away – ignoring the others who were screaming that they needed to leave now to search for their lost sister themselves.

 _'She's not even your sister!'_ Kohaku screamed back in his mind, _'So everyone shut the fuck up! I'm just as worried but all this squawking isn't accomplishing anything.'_

Sighing heavily as the voices quieted down, Kohaku suddenly felt an almighty tug unlike anything that he had ever felt before in his life. Glancing through the night sky towards the source, his world suddenly aligned and for once in his life, he felt like he had a purpose. All because of what….or rather _who_ he saw.


	36. Yup, I'm Cursed

_Not So Long Ago..._

"Are the preparations going well?" the young boy asked idly as he surveyed the various men who had arrived from across the Western lands, "My latest news is that the priests of Jokakkoji, Choenji , and Imakumano Kannon-ji have agreed to answer the call. The mikos at Okazaki Shrine too have agreed to send several members and are reaching out to neighboring shrines as well. With these numbers…"

"Hopefully, they won't be needed," the general interjected softly as he gave the boy an apologetic smile, "The new Chancellor has reached out recently informing us that he has drafted several propositions to reinstate and honor our treaties. At the moment, he is travelling to the North to deal with a drought that has been plaguing the area but upon his return…"

"And what of Kagome?" Sota interjected hotly, "Have you even _mentioned_ her return as part of these negotiations?"

"I understand your frustration. Truly I do, _but_ we have confirmed that this Chancellor has imprinted upon her. She couldn't be safer," the general sighed heavily, "Send a raven to her. Let her know you are present and surely she will agree to an audience. This demon is unlike his predecessor. I truly think…"

"You talk of demons as though they are _capable_ of higher thought," Sota hissed angrily as he narrowed his eyes, "All they know is bloodlust and violence. Not one month ago you informed me that her mind was addled. That she had been tortured _and_ raped. _Now_ you speak as though that meant nothing at all."

"Kagome is under the protection of the Chancellor's household and he imprinted on her which is no small matter. Her treatment has been fair and just since that time. Besides, these aren't run of the mill demons we're dealing with in this battle. They're highly sophisticated with law and order," the general corrected as he set his jaw, "And while a choice few have indeed committed atrocities, it appears those non-guilty parties are attempting to rectify them and several have been punished. The procurement of women and men has _ceased_. My daughter and your sister being the last few to fall prey to such beasts. If this can be ended without more bloodshed, I am all for it and you should be also."

"So you refuse to avenge your daughter," Sota replied coldly as he shook with rage, "You refuse to honor her memory. These animals have no regard for human life. They are not…"

"Many men here have family who are gainfully employed by those demons in the palace," the general sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "And the Chancellor has promised to send us a proposal for our review upon his return. I will send men to retrieve it in person and meet with him or his agent in a few weeks time but until then, be patient."

"So he's in the North?" Sota asked slowly as he set his jaw, "Do you know the name of the closest shrine?"

"Boy, don't go doing something that will get men killed," the general warned angrily as he gripped the boy's chin tightly and forced Sota to look him in the eye, "Leave him be and let the adults handle these negotiations. I will send a letter with my men requesting Kagome send a reply but until then, I want you to stand down."

"Fine," Sota spat out acidly – roughly pushing the general's hand away, "Don't blame me when it all goes awry. You'll see I was right all along."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Any news about the girl?" Sota asked impatiently as the serpentine demon eyed the boy with a suspicious eye, "It's a simple question. Yes or no."

"She still lives within the palace walls. Isolated. No harm has befallen her recently," the serpent responded wearily as he continued to appraise the boy before he added softly, "Your aura has changed."

"I beg your pardon?" Sota asked in a low, menacing tone, "What exactly are you implying?"

"That you are not yourself. I've quite enjoyed our intrigue but this, unfortunately, will be the last time we meet," the serpent replied as he slowly backed away, "I have no interest in being dragged to hell by some piddling human."

"So you've seen through my charade," a highly amused voice echoed from all around, "How is it that you and not countless other spiritual beings noticed?"

"Serpent demons are particularly good at reading auras," the demon hissed as he glanced over his shoulder before whipping his head back, "And your aura has grown far too dark in too short a span of time. I want no part of this. My objective…"

" _Your_ objective?" the voice crooned as a dark purple orb began assembling overhead, "Your objective no longer matters. Not in the slightest but you will make an excellent pawn."

Before the demon had the time to turn and run, the orb rushed forward into his chest and after a few moments of horrific screams, the yellowing eyes glazed over, his muscles slack.

"Now," Sota chuckled, "Go kill as many humans as you can and be quick about it too."

Nodding once, the serpent turned and made him way into the forest. Smiling sadistically, the young boy stretched his arms above his head before casually making his way back to his horse and heading towards the north.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"We need to send someone for aide," an elderly demon huffed in frustration as he ran his withered hand over his bald head, "Too many have fallen ill overnight and the Chancellor arrives in two days. Someone needs to relay a message for him to turn back."

"Who among us could really go?" a younger demon asked nervously, "We're all exposed and that traveling healer told us none should leave. He said…"

"I don't trust him," the elderly demon cut off the younger, "There was something wrong there. In his aura and…and his _eyes_. There was something cruel and almost glad that we were suffering. No. Take the women and children who haven't been infected. Take them far away from this place. And you…warn the Chancellor."

"But elder, I…" the boy began before he turned a sickly shade of green and deflated visibly. For a moment, the elder's eyes widened in horror before the boy hurled all over the floor. Several screams of fright and the sound of retching echoed throughout their small village. Then, oh and then, the faint stench of death began creeping into their scents. This was escalating far too quickly. This was no plague….

This was a curse.

"I must warn the Chancellor," the elder breathed anxiously as he staggered to his feet and began rifling about for some parchment, "That healer was right about one thing and one thing only. We shouldn't leave. It's too late for us."

Little did he know that the Chancellor was running far ahead of schedule and had already stepped foot inside the cursed village while an angry vengeful spirit watched on with a wicked grin.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was amusing to watch the half-demon stumble across the mud to empty his stomach like the animal he truly was. Even more so because of what he had done to their sister. The trap had worked splendidly and brilliantly the villagers that knew the truth had already expired. Oh, he would most certainly be quarantined and isolated. Unable to negotiate any deals. Within a fortnight he'd be dead and nothing would tie Kagome to anyone in that wretched place. With nowhere to go and no one to protect her, she'd come running back to them. It wasn't as though she could actually love such a vile beast, regardless of whether he ' _imprinted'_ on her or not. It was especially delicious that he had been ushered out without explanation. No way to know what truly caused his demise.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Present Day_

"Lay _down_ , Inuyasha," Kagome huffed in exasperation as she tried to force him down and he watched her with a dumb grin on his face, "You're _human_. It's not like I can purify you like this. I just want to try it."

"I may be sick and human but ain't no way I'm letting you blast whatever demonic powers I might have right now to hell," Inuyasha snorted – his amusement at her attempts to force him to lay down beyond hilarious, "Plus I'm already feeling a little better. Enough to thwart your pathetic efforts."

"Watch yourself," Kagome huffed as she narrowed her eyes, "Or one day I'm gunna find something that'll send you slamming down to the ground with a single word."

"That's not a thing," Inuyasha cackled before blanching and complying with her request as she raised a single eyebrow in challenge, "Fine. Fine. I'll lay down. Just don't fry my ass to oblivion, okay? That's all I ask."

"Now there's a good boy," Kagome teased lightly – reaching up to tweak a single earlobe before straddling his lower back and rubbing her hands together, "It's not like I haven't done this before anyway."

" _Wait_ , **_what_**?!" Inuyasha protested frantically before the most fantastic sensation began radiating down his back. Eyes drifting closed, Inuyasha wheezed happily before mumbling in a tired voice, "So when did ya try to purify me before this?"

"Last time I gave you a massage," Kagome admitted sheepishly as began working the muscles in his left shoulder, "That's why I kept asking if it hurt."

"Huh," was the only reply she got as he sighed in relief. Whatever the hell she was doing made a hell of a difference. It felt like the illness was bleeding straight out of him. A strange wetness on his stomach had his eyes flying open as one hand flew to his chest while he scrambled to sit up – knocking Kagome off in his haste. When he retracted his fingers and glanced down, his eyes widened in horror while Kagome gasped.

Sludge, black as pitch, was oozing from his chest, just over his heart.

"What the _fuck_ is this?" Inuyasha asked hysterically as he looked wildly at Kagome whose mouth had fallen open in shock, "Kagome?! Is this _normal_?"

"You _haven't_ been sick," Kagome whispered in awe as she reached out and touched the black goop that dissolved under her touch, "You were _cursed_."

"That doesn't answer what the hell this shit is!" Inuyasha hissed as he ran his hands over his now flawless – if not boney – chest, "I mean, is it blood or…or is that my demonic energy?! What is it?"

"What I was doing was purging the curse from you," Kagome murmured before a brilliant grin lit up her face, "Oh my god! I can heal you! Lay back down!"

"How do I know that…" Inuyasha began before stopping himself and laughing as he laid back down, "Wait. No, okay, I know I can trust you. I'm an idiot. Keeping doing what you were doing and get this shit _outta_ me."


	37. Age Difference

Sighing in a mixture of relief and concern, Inuyasha tried to ignore the tar like substance leaking from his body in favor of focusing on the utterly euphoric sensation of Kagome's nimble hands on his sore muscles. Every so often, she would stop her ministrations to purify the substance pooling on the ground which would slowly dissolve away which was more than welcome. Still, Inuyasha couldn't help but wonder who the hell had the power or the motive to do such a thing. It was so bizarre and that Kagome had known almost _immediately_ ….

"How did you recognize it was a curse?" he mumbled lazily as he let out another relieved sigh, "Don't get me wrong. I'm glad you did but its weird is all. After all, you've been caring for me and..."

"I've seen it before but it just never occurred to me until now. I'm so sorry," Kagome answered quietly, "The temple where I trained tried to teach it to us when we were advanced enough but I refused to learn it. Well, I read about it but I never learned how to cast it. Seemed underhanded and went against everything they had instilled in me up until that point. It's part of the reason my father had…"

Pausing and taking a shuddering sigh, Kagome continued shakily, "He'd told my sister and I that we were going to end our training and get married. I _knew_ it was about money. We were struggling and my mother had been ill recently. That's not the reason he gave us though. He used my words against us. That he didn't want us to follow a darker path. It was a lie, of course, but at the time, I was secretly relieved. Scared but glad I'd never be forced to cast such a thing."

"So someone from your shrine cursed me?" Inuyasha whispered as he furrowed his brow and sighed in morose understanding, "As revenge for demons abducting you."

"I'm not sure," Kagome answered honestly – slightly relieved that he didn't jump to the conclusion it was her fault he was ill, "I'm just glad I can save you. That puts us back on equal ground, I think."

"We were always on equal ground," Inuyasha mumbled as his eyes drifted closed once more, "From the moment I imprinted on you, we were equals. Besides, what's the point of saving someone who didn't want to be saved?"

"That's true I guess. I was very glad you saved me," Kagome chuckled lightly, her hands expertly sliding down his back, "There's something I don't understand though. How would they know to target you? If they knew enough to know your connection to me, then why curse you at all? Someone had to be spying on you or me or both. Maybe feeding bad information to my temple. But….how did they find me in the first place and why wouldn't they reach out to me directly? It doesn't make sense."

"Well, I mean, your _brother_ was with those men," Inuyasha sighed heavily as he grimaced, "Maybe it was him and he thought reaching out would put you in danger."

"More reason not to ever speak to him again," Kagome responded bitterly, "I bet it _was_ him. He's young and stupid and a brat and maybe he reached out to my shrine out of some misguided desire to redeem himself for what happened."

"Kagome, if that's the case, he just wanted to _save_ you," Inuyasha pointed out miserably as he furrowed his brow once more, "Maybe he all he'd learned was that you belonged to me or something and assumed the worst."

"Still not an excuse to go around _cursing_ people," Kagome muttered before huffing in frustration, "I mean, that still doesn't explain why he didn't try to reach out to me. That's just _stupid_."

"Did _you_ ever think of demons as _people_ before this?" Inuyasha asked quietly after a tense moment of silence, "We're just monsters in most human's eyes. After all, you _were_ being trained to kill us all."

Pausing for a moment, Kagome chewed the inside of her cheek as she considered that. Until she moved to the palace, until Sango and Inuyasha had come into her life, she never did think of demons as having feelings or personalities of their own. They were evil. Plain and simple. It would make sense if that's where Sota was coming from and why he'd assume the worst. Besides the fact that she actually was _, ya know_ , sold into sex slavery and her sister _was_ murdered.

"It took me some time," Kagome began slowly, "I mean, my sister was killed in front of me, I was tortured, killed, brough back, humiliated, enslaved, raped…."

Inuyasha flinched slightly with each bad thing Kagome listed as he clenched his eyes tightly in pain, "I'm sorry for what you had to go through. I wish I could've freed you right away but…"

Taking a shuddering breath, Inuyasha continued shyly, "But I'm glad you came to me. Just wish under different circumstances. That things had been different."

"We never would've met," Kagome responded after a few minutes as her hands began massaging his shoulders once more, "As terrible as everything had been, I don't see how I could've changed anything. If I'd've been set free, my father probably would've just sold me again. No, I wouldn't've gone back. Where else would I really go?"

"I will never understand how a father could just sell his daughters like that," Inuyasha muttered in a sleepy tone, "If I have kids, I'd always protect them. Always."

"When we have children, I wonder what they'll be like," Kagome mused as she reached up to scratch his scalp tenderly, making Inuyasha's lips twitch upwards, "I mean, they'll be quarter demons, right? Or maybe even human with spiritual powers."

"They'll be half," Inuyasha corrected with a happy sounding sigh – a dopey grin plastered on his face, "The joy of imprinting and an impress is that they'll be half. Maybe they'll have demonic _and_ spiritual powers. That'd be cool."

"As long as they have your ears," Kagome responded softly as she smiled, "No matter what, as long as they have your ears they'll be perfect."

Inuyasha's smile faltered before he swallowed thickly, "I hope they don't. My ears, I mean. I hope they don't have those."

"Why?" Kagome asked quietly as she frowned and purposely ran her fingers over where his ears normally sat, "They're adorable."

"No full demon or human have ears like that," Inuyasha sighed heavily, "It's true what I said earlier. Being a half-demon makes life harder than it needs to be. At least in the palace, I had _standing_. Now I'm just worthless with nowhere to belong. I'll be lucky if I ever find a place again."

"Well _someone_ is being dramatic," Kagome chided as she rolled her eyes and went back to massing the curse out of him, "And you're _not_ worthless. Plus, I seriously doubt you'll have nowhere to belong. Sango would never…."

Deflating slightly, Kagome let out a shuddering breath as she felt Inuyasha tense beneath her, "I refuse to think she'll be possessed forever _or_ that she was killed. _When_ Sango returns, she'll find a place where we can all live together. She'll never leave you behind and neither will I."

Nodding glumly, Inuyasha rubbed his cheek idly against the filthy stone ground and shook his head, "I hope she's alright. She's my oldest friend. More like a sister to me."

"So I've been told," Kagome responded affectionately, "I'm sure she'll be fine. I'm not giving up on her and neither should you."

Nodding, Inuyasha wasn't entirely convinced as he chewed the inside of his cheek. Losing Sango would be a devastating blow. If he had to kill an entire army to get her back, he had no doubts he'd do it. Blood was thicker than water and Sango _was_ family – even if not directly related. He'd do _whatever_ it took to get her back and he knew Kagome would fight by his side. She...she would fight with him... Could he _really_ risk losing Kagome to save Sango? He didn't like the idea of losing either and he knew, he just knew, that he'd lose one before all this mess was over. Grimacing, he grumbled slightly and huffed in frustration.

"Does that happen often? Turning into, uh, _him_ , I mean." Kagome asked quietly after a long moment – her voice shaking slightly before she sniffed and continued massaging his lower back, "Not that it changes how I feel about you. Just curious but…but has it happened before?"

Flinching slightly, Inuyasha let out a shuddering sigh as he grimaced and responded, "Yeah, twice actually. After the first and second time they sent me to the front lines. Nearly died because _he_ doesn't stop for anything. I took out an entire western flank of an army by myself. Don't know how I _didn't_ drop dead. Eventually I guess I passed out and after the medics found me, a general who knew me well sent a letter Sango informing her that I probably wouldn't survive. They had no idea what I'd really done and I never explained. Not even to Sango."

Furrowing her brow, Kagome sighed as she ran one hand down his spine, "Why didn't you tell her?"

"She was the only person in the world that I trusted and...and after I came back the second time, she insisted on going into battle with me. Made me more careful. Never wanted to loose control and hurt her. She was the only person who cared whether I lived or died. I...I couldn't lose that and I...I was scared," he admitted shakily as he closed his eyes in pain, "Like I said. People don't like half-breeds."

"But you were _Chancellor_ ," Kagome pointed out as she sighed and moved to rub his neck, "Someone must have seen your greatness."

"I have a feeling whoever appointed me knew this bullshit was coming and hoped I took the fall," Inuyasha sighed heavily before swallowing thickly – the words tumbling out of his mouth while he mentally smacked himself for being an idiot, "How can you act like me turning into a monster doesn't change anything?"

"How can you act like it _does_?" Kagome countered affectionately with a shrug, "Sounds to me like it only happens when you're dying or really hurt. Plus, I'm not giving up on the best thing that's ever happened to me just because he has a few issues. I've got enough issues to balance it out."

Silence was the best reply he could come up with in that moment. He really didn't feel like arguing with her over who was more fucked up. That could only end badly. A few minutes passed before he furrowed his brow and asked quietly, "Do you think there's anyone left? I didn't see much of the battle and...and..."

"I'm not sure," Kagome sighed before swallowing thickly, "I can still feel youkai just east of here and to the South. It's not as strong so I'm not sure whether it's distance or…or…"

"We'll find out in the morning, I guess," Inuyasha sighed dejectedly before pushing himself up a little, "Here, get off. You should rest."

"Aren't you going to sleep?" Kagome asked in a worried tone, "You've been sick and…and you shouldn't…"

"I'm _not_ leaving. I just never sleep on this night," Inuyasha chuckled, "You should get rest."

"Um, _no_ , I'll put up a barrier and _you_ get some sleep," Kagome countered as she arched a brow in a silent challenge, "Worst case scenario, you can carry me tomorrow if I'm tired. I'm not as strong as you."

Damn. That was a fair point. Setting his jaw, Inuyasha almost thought to argue but eventually gave up – muttering about stubborn women as he flopped down on the stone ground and pouting.

"You can use my lap, ya know," Kagome snorted as she scooted closer to him and gently pulled his head into her lap before brushing a few strands out of his face, "Now go to sleep. I'll protect you."

Sighing and rolling his eyes, Inuyasha fidgeted until he found a comfortable position before drifting off to sleep with a ghost of a smile on his face. Even if they lived another thousand years, Kagome would never get tired of watching him sleep. There was something in the way his face relaxed, the gentle rise and fall of his chest, the way he quietly mumbled to himself or rubbed his cheek on her leg that made her heart nearly burst with adoration. It was still too dark outside to be anywhere close to dawn but it was clear from the way he wasn't struggling to breathe that he was much improved. Slowly, she continued to massage his neck with the lightest of pressure to rid any lingering magic still in is body. Despite everything that'd happened to her since she'd been taken from her home, it was all worth it. All thanks to him.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"It's going to be okay, Sango. They'll forgive us in time. I'm sure of it," Miroku sighed heavily as he gave the quietly sobbing baku an imploring stare, "And I'm sure, if you saw him, Inuyasha will forgive you instantly."

"How can he? How can we _ever_ face _any_ of them again?" Sango sniffled as she continued to trudge through the forest at a snail's pace, taking the time to search for any sign of that bitch or the others and all three of them slightly terrified to wander off alone or leave the others behind.

"I'm sure it'll all work out somehow," the dragon sighed as he gave her a strained smile and reached out a single hand to touch her, "Once we defeat this spirit, all will be well."

"I swear if you grab my ass right now, you're going to be missing an arm," Sango sighed wearily as she eyed his outstretched hand, "This is neither the time nor the place."

"You wound me, Sango. I was _merely_ wanting to comfort you," Miroku sighed before the corners of his lips twitched upwards and he gave her a wicked grin, "So you're saying there _is_ a time and place where this would be acceptable?"

"We just murdered our allies and we were tortured earlier today," Sango hissed as she narrowed her swollen, red eyes, "How can you stand there and talk like that? Have you no scruples?!"

Paling visibly, Miroku averted his eyes as he opened his mouth to respond before closing it again. While Sango seethed and bared her fangs, all he could do was withdraw into himself. He was hurting just as much as her but he was trying to cope in the only way he knew how – _humor_. It was a bizarre coping mechanism, that much he would admit, but he was a strong advocate of faking it until he felt it. If he acted like he wasn't phased by what he'd done, then perhaps in time he might start believing it.

A tense silence ticked on before Miroku sighed and mumbled an apology before walking off without another word. Sota for his part watched all this unfold with a pitying look. This was all his fault. They had been forced to commit atrocities, ruin their lives and their love because of _her_. Because he hadn't been strong enough to throw her control. Setting his shoulders, Sota narrowed his eyes in determination. This ended now. Enough lives had been ruined or lost because of his sister.

So taking a deep breath, Sota caught up to the still seething woman and cleared his throat, "Don't be angry with him. We all cope in our own ways. You are coping through anger and grief. I think he's coping by acting like he doesn't care. You didn't see his face when she was torturing you. I've never seen anyone look so broken."

"He tried to grab my ass and then made a joke after we…we…" Sango huffed in exasperation before swallowing thickly, "We killed our friends and allies in cold blood. It's _not_ funny."

"I don't think he thinks it's funny _either_ ," Sota tried to placate her, "And he _wasn't_ going to grab your ass. I think he _genuinely_ wanted to comfort you."

Deflating visibly, Sango let out a shuddering breath before rolling her swollen eyes, "Maybe I overreacted. I just…"

"I'm not saying that making a joke _wasn't_ wrong but she's ruined enough lives as it was. Don't let what she's done ruin whatever it is that you two have together," Sota pleaded as he gestured toward the dragon, "You need each other. Now more than ever. Don't let this fester into something more."

"For a child, you're surprisingly wise," Sango laughed softly as she glanced at the boy, "How old are you?"

"I'll be twelve next month," Sota responded, his eyes growing distant, "I'm not a child though. I've seen too much, done too much. I was forced to grow up. There's nothing else I could do."

"I was around your age when my parents died. Inuyasha too," Sango commented after a tense silence, "I had to grow up and become leader of a house far too young. Over the past century, it's been..."

"Wait, a _century_?! H _ow_ old _are_ you?" Sota exclaimed - distracted by this news before his mouth popped open as another realization hit him, "And how old is _he_?! Does Kagome know?!"

"I'm well over two hundred years old, nearly three hundred to be honest and Inuyasha is a few decades younger than me," Sango responded as a slightly amused smile played on her lips, "Demons just age..."

"So he imprinted on someone who is going to die _centuries_ before him? God, that _sucks_ ," Sota sighed heavily as he rubbed his hand across his face, "That _royally_ sucks."

"There is a way to match her lifespan to his. Don't worry," Sango laughed softly as she gave the boy a strangely warm smile before it faded and she turned her eyes towards the defeated looking dragon, "I'm going to go talk to him. Stay alert while I do, okay?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As if he didn't feel broken enough _already_. The closer the woman, no the _child_ , came to the village the more his heart sank in his chest. There was _no_ way in hell he was going to act on this outdated and arbitrary instinctual impulse. This was absolutely disgusting. Beyond gross. He might as well be a child predator, imprinting on a child so small. What the _fuck_ was wrong with him?! At least, there were no sexual impulses – some comfort that it was. More a strong desire to protect. Either way….this fresh hell made him feel dirty and left a bad taste in his mouth. Sighing heavily, he waited for the voices and their many opinions to start screaming at him but, to his surprise, there was only silence. No, he wasn't going to act on it. Not on your life. Well, relative silence anyway. He was still thinking to himself but there was no one _else_ telling him anything. Blinking in surprise, he furrowed his brow – momentarily distracted by this revelation – before turning a quizzical gaze to the small figure flying overhead. This was new. Whomever this demon….

Taking a sniff, Kohaku's eyes widened in shock before he set his jaw and narrowed his eyes to better make out the figure in the air. She was _human_ and she was _obviously_ possessed. Human don't fly. At least, he didn't think they did. Heart sinking in his chest once more, he bit his lip as a _horrible_ possibility occurred to him. Maybe….maybe she was just in his head. She wasn't real. A figment of his imagination that his already fucked up mind had conjured up so that his future didn't seem quite so hopeless. That _would_ explain why the voices were quiet. They probably had their own physical forms too and were just waiting to reveal themselves like the little assholes they were. It would be better to ignore her then, he decided. If he didn't acknowledge her then maybe she'd go away. It had taken decades but the voices could no longer control him. He'd be damned if they found a new way to do so. The only way he'd acknowledge her is if someone outside of him did as well. If they did, he'd send the demon who possessed her straight to hell where it belonged. That'd have to wait though. Everyone thought he was crazy as it was. He didn't need to add another reason for the villagers to be afraid of him.

So with a heavy sigh, Kohaku turned and headed back to his hut. The headman was right. Sango _would_ be there in the morning anyway. With that hallucination out there and possibly more just behind her, a rescue party of one was out of the question.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Grinning like a Cheshire cat, the very possessed Rin settled in the tree line, shielded herself with a barrier to avoid detection as she watched the three figures walking below her. This was a brilliant idea. She'd always excelled when studying curses, always having a morbid fascination with pain that she could never explore in life. There was one curse in particular she'd always wanted to try. It's one thing to read about them on a scroll and another entirely to watch the destructive force. It no longer mattered to her who got caught in the crossfire…or rather - as the case may be - the crosswinds.


	38. Foot In Mouth

"Stay with me. _Please_ ," Ginta pleaded desperately as he leaned forward and rested his forehead against the shoulder of unconscious woman in his lap, "You have to hold on. It'll be okay. It's going to be okay."

A very human Shiori remained deathly still in his lap, a deep slash in her abdomen still bleeding profusely and staining the bandages he'd wrapped out her middle. Her mouse brown hair lay plastered to her face with sweat and her usually pale skin looked almost grey. He was so proud of her. _So_ proud. Throwing herself in front of the smallest children and taking a blow meant for them was something to be _admired_ ….but it was also terrifying, and stupid, and…and…

"Don't leave me," Ginta breathed shakily as tears prickled in his eyes – her arms flexing around her before he took a shuddering breath and leaned down to breathe in her human ear, "I just…we just…we're finally together now. You _can't_ leave me."

The others in the cave were fairing little better than the rapidly fading woman in his arms – the fact that so many in their group were human and injured seriously hurt the almost dwindling morale. Releasing another shaky breath, Ginta held his love a little tighter as though by that action alone he could keep her with him.

"It'll be okay," Ginta whispered desperately more to himself than to her, "You'll be fine and…and we'll find a place to live. We'll have beautiful children and you'll never want for anything. I'll….I'll plant fruit trees. So many trees. Any kind you want and…and we'll be happy. But you've gotta stay with me. You have to stay with me."

Their numbers now hovered around twenty. Seven had been lost in the battle – some from direct blows, some the moment they turned human succumbed to their injuries, and that number was sure to rise as several others still hovered on the brink of death. It wasn't the baku or dragons fault. Everyone knew that. They were being controlled. Still, that fact in and of itself was terrifying. How the hell did someone manage to control two demons so strong? Rocking slightly as he held Shiori closer still, he tried to keep his wits about him as he surveyed the defeated looking scene around him before glancing at the dead they had arranged towards the back of the cave. They would need to be buried in the morning. As it was, the shock hadn't quite worn off from anyone present. So many dead within the span of a single day. Everything they'd ever known lost forever. It seemed so surreal. Like it was a nightmare they were trapped inside of and couldn't escape.

"We're going to be okay," Ginta mumbled to himself as he continued rocking the comatose woman in his arms, "It's all going to be okay."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"There is no need to apologize Sango," Miroku sighed as he gave her a half-hearted grin before sighing and looking ahead. Glancing at the baku and then the small boy standing some distance away, he took a steadying breath through his nose– a slight puff of steam escaping his nostrils before he continued, "We should probably stop for the night. The boy will be no good in a fight in the dark and we're all exhausted. Whatever this spectre is going to do, we're at a disadvantage right now. We should collect ourselves and…"

A sudden flash of orange overhead had both demons whipping their heads upwards before their eyes widened in shock. A very comatose Rin was suddenly plummeting to the ground and for a split second, both were torn as to whether they should catch her or not. Luckily, however, Sota seemed to have seen it as well and it was him that ultimately softened the limp girl's descent to the ground.

Gasping raggedly as he tried to recollect the air that'd been knocked out of him, there was no way for the poor boy to warn either demon of the spirit they apparently could neither see or sense.

"Run…away…behind…" Sota gasped as he pushed the dead weight off his chest, "Not…"

Eyes widening in understanding, Sango moved with inhuman speed – clasping her hand around Miroku's collar and yanking him away – just as a eerie opaque hand would've reached through his chest. Breathing heavily, Sango maintained her hold on the very disoriented Miroku as she eyed the specter wearily. A piece of her heart broke as she saw someone who looked so much like her dear friend. Slightly older, her face slightly thinner…but looking as utterly broken and disheveled as Kagome had so many months ago. There were several differences, however, Where Kagome had been depressed, this figure seemed more bitter and crazed. There were strange crack covering her translucent form – like a broken china doll that had seen better days, and her irises were a bloody crimson.

"Now why did you do that?" the spirit chuckled as moved her head from side to side like a snake waiting to strike while her voice reverberated eerily on the air, "What's the worst something like me could really do?"

All those present would've snorted outright at this statement were the situation not so dire. The phantom continuing to sway menacingly from side to side as she surveyed the scene and plotted her next move. While his sister's eyes were fixated on the two demons, Sota slowly – ever so slowly – got to his feet plotting some moves of his own. The beads he still possessed…would they even work on her? Was it worth the risk to place them in her possession? Probably not. It was clear she wouldn't listen to reason either so that left only one true course of action. Subtly reaching into his pocket, he clasped a sutra tightly in his hand and charged it. Before he had the chance, however, a blur appeared out of nowhere and knocked him flat onto his back.

"What the hell…" Sota groaned as he propped himself up and rubbed the spot where his head had hit a rock. Glancing around, he saw Sango stared slack jawed at a young boy currently crouching next to the comatose girl on the ground – completely ignoring the strange specter who seemed just as surprised as the rest of them.

"Ko…kohaku?" Sango whispered shakily – her eyes darting between the disembodied soul and her oblivious brother before clearing her throat and calling out to him a little louder, "Kohaku?"

"Sango," Kohaku acknowledge quietly as he glanced over his shoulder and met her gaze before pointing at the girl, "Can you see her?"

"Y-yes?" Sango replied even more wearily as a cruel grin suddenly spread over the specter face as she too looked down at the boy, "Leave. Just…just leave, Kohaku. Now."

"Why?" the young boy chuckled curiously as his fingertips traced the small girl's face, "It's just you, me and the girl. What's the rush?"

Furrowing her brow, Sango gaped at her brother – momentarily distracted by that comment. Could he really not tell that there was a human, dragon and evil ghost in the clearing with them? Or did he think they were only in his mind? Was he seeing things now too and just ignoring them? Why wouldn't he have told her?

"Sango, I think you best get us all out of here," Miroku hissed quietly – too low for anyone else to hear, "Before whatever that thing is does something to one or all of us."

Nodding, Sango took a deep breath before rushing forward at the speed of light – picking up all those not currently floating mid-air – and rushing off to the village like a bat out of hell.

Little did she know that was _exactly_ what that specter wanted.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sesshomaru breathed heavily as he dispatched yet another flank of the encroaching army. It wasn't a matter of him being injured – far from it, they hadn't managed to lay a finger on it – it was more of a matter of stamina. It had been hours – almost a full day. Didn't humans _sleep_?! The battle may be lost but at least, his people weren't. At least, if he fell in battle….his father's legacy would continue.

If his brother didn't succumb to his illness that is.

Yes, yes, he recognized Inuyasha was indeed his brother for all intents and purposes. As much as he loathed his existence, there was no denying paternity. And that was part of the problem. His father had left his mother for that human woman. Left her to the scorn of everyone at court to the point where she'd fell into a heavy depression, stopped eating and _died_ of a broken heart. She had loved his father. Apparently more than she loved him and most certainly more than she loved her _only_ son. In a way, he was alone after that. His father never paid him any mind once he found that human woman and especially after the hanyou was born.

He'd been cast aside and left alone. Then, oh and then, he'd died because she did, because he imprinted on _her_ and bestowed _her_ with his impress. He _literally_ couldn't live without her. And _others_ had died protecting _her_ as well. Perhaps it was wrong to blame Inuyasha. He had no choice in the matter. It wasn't like he'd asked to be born of such a union. And if he had treated him better…

Once upon a time, the hanyou had adored his older brother. _Constantly_ following him around, trying to mimic his dress and demeanor. Looking up at him with those big amber puppy eyes with such awe. Like he had hung the moon. And what had he done? Treated him with distain, been unnecessarily cruel. Even now, he'd tried to sabotage him in everything he'd ever done. Tried to humiliate him. Made him suffer. He'd treated human women like they were less than dirt because each and every one of them was Izayoi in his eyes. If he couldn't punish her, he'd punish others in her stead.

And now he had lost _everything_.

Over a _grudge_.

Cost _hundreds_ of lives.

Because _he_ couldn't move forward.

All because _he_ hated his father.

How pointless.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"How are you feeling?" Kagome asked quietly as Inuyasha sluggishly blinked up at her with a dopey smile on his face, "Did it work?"

"I feel fucking _awesome_ ," Inuyasha responded as he stretched one arm across his chest – unwilling to give up such a comfortable position due to a few kinks before sighing, "Is it close to dawn? We need to go check on the others."

"I think it's getting close. The birds have started…." Kagome responded – trailing off with a mighty yawn and a gentle rub of her eyes, "Excuse me. The birds have started chirping again."

"You really stayed up the whole night?" Inuyasha asked quietly as he gave her a look of pure love and adoration before smirking, "Dumb human. Now you're going to be tired all day."

"I've protected you all night," Kagome responded with a wicked smirk, "I mean, you can carry me, right?"

"Of _course_ , I can carry you stupid woman," Inuyasha snorted before setting his jaw and sitting up, "God, all of this fucking _sucks_. Who _knows_ how many we lost yesterday. How many demons _survived_ the siege. I mean, our group might've been small, but surely we have, what? Seventy or eighty left. That much youkai is definitely going to bring someone's attention to…"

"I think we're actually down to about thirty….maybe less," Kagome responded quietly as she let out a shuddering sigh and Inuyasha's eyes widened in horror.

"Thirty?" Inuyasha hissed, "I thought…I mean, I know I passed out but…but I _swear_ I remember hearing Sango explaining about a hundred of us were going to…"

"There were about a hundred of us," Kagome responded thickly – her chest heaving as she tried to bite back tears, "But they were waiting for us. We're down to…to…about nine half-demons and maybe…maybe about eleven or twelve full demons. So I guess, we're at roughly twenty."

Gaping at her, Inuyasha couldn't quite formulate words that properly conveyed his grief and shock at the news. Thirty six half-demons down to _nine_. All those children…. _gone_.

"They were children," Inuyasha responded after a tense moment, " _Most_ of them were children. How…wouldn't they have just turned human? I mean, _maybe_ they just got left behind. _Maybe_ we can find them."

"I'm not sure," Kagome replied with a heavy sigh as a single tear streamed down her face, "We can't go back though. Not without risking more lives. All we do is…"

"I will **_NOT_** leave them!" Inuyasha hissed as he unsteadily got to his feet, "Once we deliver the remaining members of our group, I'm fucking going _back_. They might be alive and…and they're _my_ responsibility. I _have_ to protect them."

"Inuyasha! I don't think you understand exactly what happened! There were hundreds, _hundreds_ of priests. Now they have control of Sango _and_ Miroku," Kagome responded in a mildly hysterical tone, "If you go back, you're going to die! I _won't_ let you go!"

"You won't, _huh_?" Inuyasha barked back before scoffing, "Who am I kidding. Of _course_ , you wouldn't because you _don't_ fucking understand a _damn_ thing about half-demons or being responsible for _anyone_ but _yourself_! All you care about is _yourself_ and what _you_ want! No _wonder_ you're father sold you!"

Recoiling like she'd been slapped, Kagome blinked stupidly at him for a moment as her mouth hung open. Inuyasha's anger faded as quickly as it came while his eyes shone with panic.

"Kagome, I…I didn't…" Inuyasha began – at a complete loss of words – completely frozen as Kagome got to her feet and walked out of the cave without another word.


	39. Don't Choose Violence

"That stupid, arrogant, impulsive…" Kagome continued to mutter to herself as she stubbornly continued marching across the forest – her barrier firmly in place to prevent him from chasing after her. She knew he hadn't really meant it. Death affected everyone differently. He apparently coped with his own misplaced guilt and grief through anger. Still, that sure as hell didn't mean he should've taken it out on her. It wasn't like she planned to go far but they both needed some time to cool off before they did more damage than had already been done. And she wanted to let him sweat.

"I can't _believe_ him. After _all_ I did, he _still_ had to go and…." Kagome continued to mumbled heatedly as her hands balled tightly into fists by her side. Pausing for a moment, she exhaled through her nose and breathed out her mouth in an attempt to calm her frazzled nerves. It wasn't until she heard a familiar voice call _'no! stop!'_ and felt something collide – hard – with her barrier that she even realized something or rather _someone_ was oncoming.

"Wha-" another familiar voice breathed anxiously from her place on the ground as she looked around wildly before her head whipped towards the small, heaving boy that Kagome wished had never been born, "You alright?"

" _Barrier_ …" the boy gasped ragged as he struggled to recoup the breath that had been stolen from his lungs – causing both the dragon and baku to jump to their feet with inhuman speed with panic in their eyes while they reached for him, "Not... _bad_ ….'Gome….not…"

" ** _YOU_**!" Kagome suddenly bellowed at the top of her lungs as the barrier dropped and she marched straight over to the boy, straddled him and punched his face with all her might. Over. And Over. And Over. And with each blow came a word to accent her sentiment, "YOU _EVIL_ , _FOUL_ , _PATHETIC_ , _WORTHLESS. PIECE. OF. SHIT! SO. MANY. PEOPLE. DIED. BECAUSE. OF. YOU. GOOD. PEOPLE. AND."_

"Kagome! Stop! It wasn't him!" Sango implored as she gently yet forcibly grabbed her wrist before it could once again collide with the utterly submissive and bleeding boy once more, "It wasn't him."

"And why should I believe you if _he's_ controlling you?!" Kagome hissed back as she struggled and clawed against the baku's grip, "This little shit deserves to pay!"

"It _wasn't_ him," Sango repeated quietly as she knelt down to meet Kagome's gaze and tried to convey her earnestness, "I swear on my life that it _wasn't_ him."

Huffing, Kagome scowled as the baku finally released her and she stumbled awkwardly to her feet before noticing the two additional parties that she'd failed to notice before. The younger boy look so much like Sango it was borderline shocking and in his arms was a small fragile looking girl who looked _so_ familiar. As she huffed and tried to get a reign on her temper, the boy gave her a forced smile and clutched the small girl a little tighter against his chest.

"Sango," the boy asked shakily as he glanced at his sister, "Who's this?"

"This is Kagome," the frazzled look baku sighed as she moved a stray hair over her ear – her concerned eyes never leaving the miko, "She's a friend."

"But she….she looks…I saw…," the boy began whispering breathlessly as he took a step backwards and grimaced – his chest started to heave slightly, "And…and…I…she looks…it's not real…it's not…"

"The spirit we saw. Yes, I know," Sango replied quietly as she finally managed to glance at her brother and gave him a pitying smile, "That wasn't a hallucination. That was real. Kagome isn't going to hurt..."

"Wait, _spirit_?" Kagome interrupted as her eyes bugged when the pieces finally clicked into place, " _Wait_! Who...who looks like me? That...That must mean… _Kikyo_? _**WAIT**_!? _Kikyo_ did this?! _**How**_?!"

"Her spirit has been going around possessing people – me included," Sota groaned from his place on the ground as he tenderly pressed his swollen nose and winced, "Damn Kagome. I think you broke my nose."

"Inuyasha," Sango suddenly whispered hoarsely as she narrowed her eyes into the forest – making the rest of the occupants turn their attention towards her as she vanished quicker than anyone could blink and reappeared seconds later with the hanyou turned human who gave Kagome a _very_ chagrined look.

"You _followed_ me," Kagome asked wryly as she arched a single brow and he gave her a very weak smile before glancing around awkwardly at the others and straightening himself up. Despite his mind screaming at him to shut the fuck up, a piece – a very influential and stupid piece – wanted to save face.

"Yeah I followed you stupid bitch! Why the hell did you wander off by yourself?" Inuyasha bellowed angrily earning a bemused and condescending glance from Kagome that had him realize he was bringing doom upon himself.

"Well it was either run away or hit you really, _really_ hard for what you said," Kagome huffed as the corners of her mouth twitched upwards – her relief at seeing him not on the verge of death putting a damper on the anger and hurt she was trying to hold on to, "You have anything you want to say for yourself or shall I resort to violence?"

" _Don't_ choose violence," Sota interjected as he beamed and gave his sister a silly side-eyed glance before looking back at the man who was gaping at her wordlessly, "She hits _hard_."

Opening his mouth turned out to be Sota's downfall as all the pent up anger and frustration Inuyasha was feeling in general suddenly honed in specifically on him as the much larger adult hissed and balled his hands into a fist, "Does she now? You're the punk ass bitch getting everybody killed right? Guess what? I hit _harder_."

"Inuyasha, it _wasn't_ him and he's already been hit enough for one day," Kagome sighed exasperatedly earning an incredulous glance from the ebony haired man, "Now either apologize for what you said or…or…"

"Wait, what the fuck do you mean it wasn't him? And...and _fine_. I'm sorry I said…. _what_ I said," Inuyasha began heatedly before trailing off and grimacing. With one woman's wrath already upon his head, he really didn't want to draw the others' ire either.

"That's the best apology you can do? No specifics?" Miroku asked with an awkward chuckle as he sent the human turned hanyou a bemused glance, "Although I will admit, it must have been quite bad for her to have stormed off on her own."

"It's none of your _damn_ business," Inuyasha snapped as he scowled at the dragon who looked like he too had seen better days before he cast a worried glance at Kagome who still hadn't acknowledged his half-assed apology, "But okay, look. I'm _sorry_ , okay? I…I never should've said that. I didn't mean it. You forgive me?"

"What _did_ you say?" Sango chimed in as she gave her dearest friend a suspicious look and set her jaw as she continued in a low growl, "Tell us. _Now_."

"IT'S _NONE_ OF YOUR….you know what? Fuck that. You've all got some explaining to do yourselves. Tell me how it is that it _wasn't_ this asshole's fault all that shit happened. That it _wasn't_ him that cursed my ass and nearly killed me. You guys stand there acting like I'm the one wrong…." Inuyasha hissed angrily before storming up to Kagome and getting right in her face, "And you know what _else_? I _apologized_. I _fucking_ apologized and _all_ you're doing now is trying to humiliate me. So _fine_. Be that way. See if I..."

Instead of the reaction he anticipated – perhaps anger or tears – her reaction surprised him more than any other and stole the words straight from his lungs. She laughed. Not just any laugh. No. Giggles escaped her lips and she doubled over, tears streaming down her face as she went. Utterly bewildered and somewhat afraid, Inuyasha merely gaped at her – his anger dissipating and devolving into full blown concern.

"Ka…Kagome?" Inuyasha asked nervously as he took an involuntary step backwards, "What the _fuck_?! Are…are you…."

"Just…I've…never…seen…you…get…so… _mad_ …." Kagome managed to gasp out in between riotous laughter as she collapsed onto her knees and wrapped her arms around her stomach, "You're always so careful around me. _Always_."

"I was _fucking_ **_mad_** earlier!" Inuyasha spat back as a blush splayed over his cheeks and he folded his arms tightly across his chest, "That's what fucking _got_ us here!"

"I just…you sounded…you reminded me….I mean it kinda makes…." Kagome giggled as she struggled to find words that truly described the strange morbid reaction she was having before Sota suddenly gave a chuckle from a safe distance away and finished for her, "You sounded _just_ like Kagome used to sound when she'd argue with us. Kikyo and me. Well, not with all the _cursing_ but..."

"Maybe…" Kagome continued as her giggles slowly subsided and she reached up to wipe a single tear from her eye, "Maybe you imprinted on me because neither of us know when to back down. Because we're both too stubborn and have a temper."

Grinning reluctantly despite himself, Inuyasha rolled his eyes and reached out a hand to help her to her feet, "You're fucking crazy. You know that?"

"Anyway, to address a part of your question…" Miroku suddenly interrupted as he sent them both a bemused look, "It would appear that a spirit has been unduly influencing affairs in the Western Lands."

" _That's_ the understatement of the century," Sota interrupted with a huff as he rolled his eyes and scratched the back of his head, "She tells herself that she's doing all this to save _Kagome_ but I _know_ that's not true. That's not how she's thinking. When I was….okay, she hates every living creature. Every. Last. One. Right now she's focusing on demons but those humans who are getting killed? She doesn't care. She doesn't give a shit. She wants to take out as many living things with her as she can."

"Okay, who the fuck is this spirit and why curse _me_?" Inuyasha interjected with a slightly confused look, "If Kagome isn't her true objective, why put so much energy into attacking me?"

"It's our sister, Kikyo. You know, the one who was killed? All she knew was that Kagome was your property and the type of life she'd been sold into," Sota sighed heavily as he chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment and closed his eyes before continuing, "And to be honest, that wasn't even her primary goal in cursing that village. She didn't know you were coming. It was an afterthought. A justification for taking so many lives. All this? It was never really about Kagome. Never. Her motivation is and always was revenge for what happened to her. To curse the living for her fate."

"I can't believe that," Kagome whispered in horror as tears welled in the corner of her eyes, "That isn't the Kikyo I knew. She would _never_ …"

"She _isn't_ the Kikyo you knew," Sota stressed as he gave his sister a sad, sympathetic smile, "Our sister died that night and never returned."

"Well if she's a spirit fucking _possessing_ people then where the _hell_ is she now? Which one of you sorry assholes is she possessing?" Inuyasha interrupted angrily as he glanced at each of the people standing in the clearing who all stared at him with something akin to shock, "You don't _honestly_ believe that she's just floating around in the forest right now, do you?"

"I…." Sango began hesitantly before she cast a worried look at Kohaku who had instinctively clutched the girl in his arms tighter still against his chest, "Kohaku. Can you….can you put her down for a minute?"

Shaking his head furiously, Kohaku's eyes dilated with panic as he took an involuntary step backwards and glanced over his shoulder.

"We're not going to hurt her," the baku soothed as she took a step forward before noticing his hasty step backwards, "I just want Kagome to…."

" ** _LIKE HELL YOU'RE HAVING KAGOME DO JACK SHIT_**!" Inuyasha bellowed angrily as he set his jaw and gave his oldest friend a withering glare, "She's not going anywhere fucking near that bitch."

"Inuyasha…" Kagome warned low – her tone making the humanoid version of her love cringed and cower slightly before he recovered and he pulled himself up to full height, "NO! You aren't going fucking _near_ her!"

" _I'll_ do it. I agree we shouldn't let Kagome near her," Sota offered placating as he gave the man vibrating with rage a shy smile, "She _won't_ be able to possess me again and I have _just_ as much spiritual power as them."

"No," Kohaku suddenly whispered – earning worried glances from everyone as he began looking around anxiously and his chest heaved erratically, "No. No. No."

"Kohaku, _shhhhhh_ ," Sango breathed anxiously as she tried to approach, "It'll be…"

Before anyone could stop him, the smaller baku took off like a bat out of hell to the sounds of general screams and pleas to come back.

"KOHAKU!" Sango screamed as she prepared to bolt after him before she felt Miroku's hand gripped her arm tightly, "GET OFF ME!"

"We will find him," Miroku breathed anxiously, "I _swear_ to you we will but right now, we need to deliver the injured to your village. I know you can smell their blood. The scent of death and dying."

Mouthing wordlessly at the dragon for a moment, Sango finally closed her mouth and nodded as she cast an anxious look in the direction her brother had disappeared.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

One breath. One heartbeat. That's all he wanted. He _waited_. He _listened_. He prayed to every being in the heavens and on earth that she would make it through the night. He couldn't breathe until she did. His heart couldn't… _wouldn't_ beat until hers did again. Closing his eyes, he rested his forehead against hers as a single tear slid down his nose and landed on her skin. He could hear her heart faltering in her chest, the way her lungs rattled sickeningly with each suffering exhale.

"Breathe for me," he murmured hoarsely, "Just one more breath. You're almost there. So close."

Letting out another long shuddering sigh, he focused on her unsteady heartbeat and….and furrowed his brow in confusion. Where it had been weaker only moments ago, her heartbeat now seemed to be growing stronger. No, not stronger. Pulling back slightly and blinking dumbly down at the pale woman in his arms, he listened more carefully and his eyes widened incrementally as realization set in. There were two sets of heartbeats. _Two_. It almost sounded like her heartbeat was matching this second one which beat strong and true. Like it was relying on that second beat for guidance. Swallowing thickly, he raised her up just high enough for him to press his ear to her chest and listened closer still.

"It's not just you," came a weary sounding voice from a slight distance away, "There's two heartbeats. You're not imagining it."

"But…." Ginta managed to protest weakly – the overwhelming panic swirling in his mind blocking out all rational thought and potential for making sense of this realization. The boy sitting a short distance away merely gave him a sympathetic smile and sighed, "Listen to your own heartbeat. That second one you hear in her chest? I think it's yours. _Your_ heart beating _for_ hers."

"But...but that's not possible. That shouldn't be..." Ginta trailed off as he glanced down at the woman in his arms, "If...if that's true, what does it mean?"

"Hell if I know," the boy chuckled as he leaned his head against the stone wall and sighed, "Just...just shut up and be grateful. She was half-dead a moment ago."


	40. Hold Her Close

InuYasha had a way of walking that made him seem perpetually in a hurry. His steps weren't long but they were rapid. Like the compulsion to keep moving forward somehow kept his anxiety in check while the rest of his body language screamed his unrest. It was odd that he wasn't running though and his pace set the rest of their exhausted group's pace. Maybe he was afraid of what he'd find when they joined the others. Afraid of the losses or afraid of the guilt that would follow.

"So," Sota began awkwardly as he cast a nervous glance at his sister morosely walking beside him, "Um, how long have you two been together?"

"I, uh..." Kagome stuttered awkwardly as she continued to watch the humanoid hanyou speed-walk onward, "Nothing really, uh, happened until he...until he was about to leave on his trip to the North. Then he got sick and..."

"So no little nieces or nephews yet?" Sota replies shrewdly as he cast his sister a wicked smile - earning himself a blush - before he sighed and shook his head, "I'm happy for you. _Really_ I am. He could've died. Should've died. The curse only took a day or two to kill the others but that was almost a month ago. I'm relieved that..."

"A day or two?" Kagome breathed hoarsely as her eyes widened and she cast a frightened glance at the ebony haired hanyou, "I could've lost him and never..."

"But you _didn't._ Whatever it is you did saved him," Sota pointed out nervously as he desperately tried to steer the conversation away from that topic, " _You_ _saved_ him. He's fine now. I...I just meant that he was lucky you were there to care for him. You're _lucky_ to have each other.

Together they walked in silence after that - both trying to stave off the complete awkwardness between them. Miroku and Sango has moved closer to InuYasha at this point and we're whispering heatedly amongst themselves.

"I'm surprised you're okay with this. Me being with a demon I mean," Kagome whispered quietly as she gave her little brother a weary look, "I would've thought you'd hate him. After all, you began training a few years back."

"I could never hate anyone who loves my sister like he does," Sota countered warmly as he moved to take her hand, "And all that matters to me is that we're together now. It wasn't _just_ Kikyo wanting to get you back, you know. I wanted to find you more than I've ever wanted anything."

"So you really come looking for me? It wasn't all her?" the miko asked shakily as she squeezed his hand before adding hastily, "Not to say..."

"I had planned on coming. I was...I just...I was a coward. But then...father was going to sell mother. Probably would've sold me if he could. So I...I killed him. _Kikyo_ had nothing to do with that," Sota admitted sadly, "I think that's why _she_ spared me."

"Did he suffer?" Kagome asked bitterly as she gripped his hand, "Even if he didn't, lie to me. Tell me he paid for his crimes."

"Don't say that," Sota chided gently as he ran his thumb over the back of her hand, "You always had such a big, loving heart. I hate to think..."

"Everyone is free to hate every once in a while," Kagome sighed shakily as she closed her eyes in pain, "No one is perfect. Least of all me. I just...I can't help thinking how different my life would've been."

"You wouldn't have found _him_ ," Sota responded softly as he sent his sister a sympathetic smile, "I _know_ you suffered. God I can't even imagine. But...but the silver lining is him. His love for you."

"I worry it's not real," Kagome admitted shakily after a moment - tears welling in the corners of her eyes, "You didn't see. Can't _possibly_ know. He...he didn't have a choice. Just like I didn't have a choice. If...if things had been different. If Kikyo hadn't died...so many innocent lives would've been spared. _He_ wouldn't have suffered. I can't help but feel _guilty_. I...I don't think I could force myself to leave him now but...but maybe I'd I had..."

"You can't think that way," Sota interrupted harsher than he intended as he forced her to stop and cupped her chin to force her to meet his gaze, "You are _loved_. By _him_. By _me_. By these friends of yours. None of this is your fault. _None_ of it."

"What if his instincts change?" Kagome asked in a frightened tone as tears began cascading down her cheeks, "What if one day he realizes I'm not good enough?"

"Then I'll purify his sorry ass and I'll protect you," Sota responded with a sincere look, "But he's human right now and he _still_ loves you. His demon instincts are _gone_ and he still loves you. You _are_ loved."

Giving her brother a watery smile, she sniffed once before nodding and taking a shuddering breath, "You're right. He loves me."

"And you both have a long life together," Sota presses as he released her and took her hand, "He survived and so did you. Life isn't always fair but you can't let the bad make you forget the good."

"You know for a kid you're pretty wise," Kagome chuckled shakily as she squeezed his hand and they continued forward.

"I've always been the smart one," Sota teased as he sent her a warm smile that turned into a laugh when he saw her brow furrow and heard her scoff indignantly. There was the Kagome he had missed so much. In all her obstinate glory.

"Get a move on!" InuYasha barked from up ahead, "We ain't got all night!"

**XXXXXXX**

Surrounded by four stone walls there was nothing much else to do than stare at them. They were injured - yes - but nothing life threatening. Not that it was much comfort. The doors were sealed as were the chains that bound them. One by one they'd been taken away. Sometimes they'd be returned. Other times they were never seen again. They wanted information that none of them would ever share.

Where were they headed?

How many were there?

No. They'd lost too many. Lost too much. Still - despite _everything_ \- they all had too much to lose. They had no incentive - even pain and the threat of death - that would force them to give up what remained of their brethren. And so they waited and watched the stone walls.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Nervous. So dreadfully nervous. Unusually so. He could feel his illness swamping his senses as he ran blindly through the trees - those voices in his mind coming into bodies of their own - surrounding him, protecting him - and for that he was grateful. The desire to flee was awe-inspiring. To get as far away from his sister as humanly possible. She never understood him anyway. Always walked on tiptoes around him. Sango fancied him mad but madmen know nothing and he knew - just knew beyond all shadow of a doubt - that he loved this...this girl he clutched to his chest. They could call her what they wanted but no one so pure and innocent could be a monster. If anyone was the monster it was them for even suggesting it.

Glancing around at those figments flanking him on either side, Kohaku furrowed his brow at a new addition who seemed more...dragged behind than anything. The rest he could easily place who met which voice but that one...that one he had no idea. Eyes widening in horror he immediately stopped in the middle of his dead run and blinked stupidly at the phantom he had seen earlier.

"It's **_you_**!" Kohaku spit out stupidly as he glanced down at the small girl in his arms, "You can't have her! Go away! Go away, go away, go away, go..."

Chuckling softly, Kikyo's translucent form began approaching slowly - ever so slowly - with a sadistic smile on her face as she crooned eerily, "Oh no. The girl no longer interests me. I would much rather..."

"GET HER!" the owner of the snarkiest male voice in his head suddenly bellowed and much to the shock of Kohaku and more impressively Kikyo as she hit the ground - all five other figures slammed her straight to the ground, " ** _HOLD HER THERE_**! Kohaku. We shall hold her for the moment. Now go!"

"Wait...but...but you _aren't_ real. It's not...you're not...," Kohaku managed to reply in barely more than a whisper - his eyes widening in terror, "You're not real. Sango said..."

"We are and we aren't No time to explain. Go! We have this under control!" the voice ordered as he narrowed his emerald green eyes before sighing and slowly getting to his feet to approach the frazzled young man. Gently - ever so gently - the spectre placed a hand on the young man's shoulder and gave him a heartfelt and affectionate look, "There is much to explain and no time to do do. But at this moment you _must_ run as far and as fast as you can."

Gaping at the spectre - terrified eyes flicking between the very realistic feeling of a hand on his shoulder compared to the opaque being in front of him, Kohaku finally forced himself to take a step back, then another and another before turning to run full speed ahead.

"Now _you_. I will give you one chance and one chance only," the snarky spectre hissed as he clutched Kikyo's robes and pulled her up to his face even as their figures began to shimmer and fade the further Kohaku managed to get, "Why did you attack my son?"


	41. Time Long Gone

**_One Hundred Years Earlier_ **

"Oh! I've missed you so!" a young woman whose visage her granddaughters would share breathed happily as tears welled in the corners of her eyes while she rushed forward and embraced the young woman who had just stepped out of her carriage, "No one told me you were coming!"

Laughing and rolling her eyes, the tenseness in Lady Izayoi's posture suddenly melted away as she returned the embrace with equal vigor, "Oh Hana! It's so lovely to see you! And…and _pregnant_ again I see!"

"My first boy," Hana chuckled good naturedly as she pulled away and beamed at her oldest friend, "I never thought I'd see you again. Have you come back to stay? It's been almost ten years!"

"It has been far too long but no," Izayoi replied – her face falling quicker than anyone could even blink and she cleared her throat, "I was invited by the village priest."

Something clicked in Hana's eyes as her lips formed a small 'o' of understanding – the cheerful young woman's posture as she swallowed nervously and glanced over her shoulder – eyes widening as she took in the disapproving looks. Turning back towards her friend with a forced smile on her face, she swallowed thickly and nodded once before continuing in a less enthusiastic – disconcertingly loud and purposeful tone, "Well, if it wasn't for _you_ , I would never have been able to meet my husband. It was _you_ that paid for our commission here. To repay you for your kindness, we will have you stay with us."

"Hana as much as I would…" Izayoi began as she searched her friends' face trying to comprehend the unspoken message that she couldn't quite read before jumping when a loud booming voice suddenly echoed from her left.

"So you actually came?" an elderly man scoffed indignantly, "You _traitorous_ whore. You _actually_ came all this way by _yourself_. What? Did that demon finally discard you like the trash you are?"

"I came at your invitation _brother_ ," Izayoi replied blithely as she narrowed her eyes and set her jaw, "Your letter suggested you were dying and that you wished to see me. As your eldest sister…"

"You're no family of mine," the elderly man scoffed as he shook his head in disgust and sneered, "Go back home. No one wants you here."

" _I_ want her here. Ichiro and I want her here," Hana spoke up with an exasperated huff as she glared at the elderly man, "She will stay the night with us and…"

" ** _KNOW YOUR PLACE!"_** the elderly man roared angrily before nodding at a man with a wicked smile on his face and a knife already in hand. When the man nodded back, Hana turned frightened eyes towards her friend and mouthed very deliberately as she arched a brow ' _You're not alone, right?_'

Shaking her head almost imperceptibly, Izayoi took an involuntary step backwards as several more men began advancing towards the young mothers before awkwardly hitting an invisible barrier that shimmered and fluxated at each point a body had hit.

"You brought demons with you!" the brother screeched before devolving into a coughing fit and scoffing, "Why am I not surprised. You suck ones dick why would you think twice about bringing one with you to civilized society."

"How _dare_ you!" came an angry woman's voice as a woman who was the splitting image of her daughter suddenly appeared seemingly out of thin air quickly followed by an exasperated yet amused looking man, "How _dare_ you speak to her that way!"

"I can speak to a soulless bitch however I want," the brother hissed back as several of the men chuckled in agreement while the women and children began a hasty retreat back into their homes, "Fuck. She's probably not even human anymore! I am twenty years younger than her. Twenty! The youngest and there she stands looking not one day older. She's not human, she's not demon and she's sure as hell not my kin so shut your demon trap."

As the woman's eyes flashed a deep crimson and she took a menancing step forward, her male partner suddenly grasped her hand and gave her a sympathetic smile while he whispered quietly, "They're not worth it. After all, Kohaku is in the carriage asleep. We can just leave."

"Will you be alright if we do?" Izayoi quietly asked Hana who merely looked at her friend with pleading eyes that screamed danger and had alarm bells blaring in Izayoi's mind, "We can't stay with you."

Swallowing thickly, Hana took a deep breath and glanced over her shoulder at the men before whispering very quietly, "I heard them planning to ambush you on the way back. They were talking about the forest but it might be safer to use the mountains."

"What about you?" Izayoi asked before taking a shuddering breath and adding urgently, "Come with us. You and Ichiro. I don't want you to be in danger."

"We'll be fine," Hana soothed as she gave her friend an eerie forced smile, "I promise. Now go. Go."

Looking unconvinced but realizing there was nothing she could do short of kidnapping the woman and her family, Izayoi nodded once as she quickly backed away towards the carriage – noting that her two baku companions were doing the same.

Hana watched her friend leave with a watery smile knowing full well this would be the last time she would see her dearest friend.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

A week had passed. A full week. A full week since Hana had lost everything she'd ever known and found herself walking – yes walking – seven months pregnant by herself towards the palace where she had lived most of her life. Out of morbid fascination and blinded by grief, Hana hadn't taken the quickest path but rather the one where she had sent her most beloved friend to die a pointless, painful death. Her feet bled but she continued moving forward – barely able to feel it over the pain of her shattered heart.

The second the villagers knew their plan had succeeded they had barged into her home, ripped the children from her arms and slaughtered them in front of her. Ichiro had met his fate earlier that day and his body had been thrown from the fishing boat out into the cold, briny water. They hadn't killed her, however. No, that would've been merciful. They wanted her to suffer alone.

Swallowing thickly, Hana forced herself to keep going when suddenly she saw movement up ahead and froze – one hand instinctively coming up to protect her stomach while she took an involuntary step backwards only to cry out in pain when she saw the figure that had made such a noise. There – filthy, frightened and covered in dried blood – was a child – no older than four or five standing in the road.

"Hana?" he asked in an almost heartwrenchingly relived tone that sent shivers down the woman's spine, "You're alive?"

"Wh…who…are…you? How do you know my name?" Hana asked hoarsely – her knees wanting to fold under the pressure of her fear and the very wind stolen from her lungs as the boy smiled lovingly and answered in his small child's voice, "I know your name because I was there when you took your first steps in my private garden. I was there when you punched Yukio in the nose because he pulled your hair. I know your name because I am Izayoi."

"That's a lie!" Hana hissed as her knees gave out and she collapsed onto her knees sobbing as she covered her ears and screamed, "JUST KILL ME AND GET IT OVER WITH! I WILL NOT BE TORTURED BY YOU ANY LONGER!"

"No, no, no sweetheart. Don't cry," the small boy whispered breathlessly as he toddled up to her, "I know it's strange. Believe me. I know. This boy is named Kohaku. He…they weren't aware he was with us…and…and when they cast their spell…"

"Spell?" the woman cackled manically as her sobs intensified, "Why must you see fit to torture me? What did I do in my past life to deserve such a fate?"

"Yes a spell," the boy answered in a voice much too sad and mature for someone so small, "They…they…they called out our souls but I don't think that was their intention. I think they weren't aware…."

Sniffling slightly, Hana's sobs lessened as she listened to the small child tell her in great detail of her friend's fate. The more he spoke…..well, no. It was the _way_ she spoke. His small body mimicking her mannerisms. Small details that would be impossible for anyone to mimic.

"It is you," Hana breathed after a moment as she looked at the boy as though seeing him for the first time, "Why are you in the boy?"

"He didn't understand. He saw….I'm not sure what he saw," the young boy sighed as he played anxiously with his hands, "His mother believes he thought our souls were dreams. They're baku you see and…and their spell for some reason only maimed his soul. Fragmented it. We're unable to leave him. Unable to move on until he does so naturally."

"So all three of you are in there?" Hana asked as tears welled up with tears once more, "How terrible."

"Five total," the boy whispered with a dejected sigh, "My mate. His parents. Myself. And that part of his soul we managed to collect again."

For a moment there was silence before the boy shook and fell to his knees, "It's all my fault. All my fault. If I wasn't so stupid as to believe my brother had a change of heart then…then….and now I'll never hold my baby again. Never."

"I can take you to the palace after I get you cleaned up. Maybe someone there might know…" Hana soothed as she choked back sobs of her own, "And I'll stay with him as long as I live. I promise."

"No, the Inu No Taisho died without a challenger," the boy sobbed harder still, "If they were to discover that he was now inside a child? Both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru would be in greater danger than they already are and they would lose their status. We can't…."

For a long time, a very long time, the two women sobbed in each other's arms as best as they were able under the circumstances before they both collected themselves and continued moving forward. One step at a time.

_**Sixty Years Ago** _

"You shouldn't go back to that village," a much older Hana pleaded desperately as her son slung his pack over his shoulder, "They'll never accept you. They forced me to leave after...after..."

"And who's fault would _that_ be _mother_?" the man clipped back angrily as he scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Besides if I ever need money, I'll know who to call. Who knows? These days any pretty face would catch a handsome price for the _great_ Lord Sesshomaru. Just nab a girl and…"

"Don't you _dare_ joke about such a thing," Hana gasped in disbelief as she stared at her son as though she'd never seen him before in her life, "That's evil Asahi. That's not…."

" _You_ don't get to tell me what's evil. You kiss all these demons' asses like they were made of gold," the man bellowed angrily as he towered over the now frightened looking woman, "Even after father and my siblings were killed because _you_ befriended a demon, all you thought to do was come back. You _could've_ betrayed her. Done _anything_ except what you did. So I'm going back to have the life I _should've_ had. _You_ can rot in _hell_ for all I care."

As Hana gaped speechlessly at her son as he walked out the door, a single tear slid down her face and she buried her face in her hands.

**One Year Ago**

It was a turn of phrase passed on from generation to generation. One that was said so regularly that even other villagers sometimes used that turn of phrase. Times had never been desperate enough, however, for anyone to attempt finding out whether this unusual phrase had any truth to it.

_'Worst case scenario? Just sell a girl to the Inu No Taisho.'_

Oh yes, no one had been desperate enough to have ever tried it out….until _now_. The fish were gone. Their entire way to life shot straight to hell and four extra mouths to feed. At least two of them had some worth to them. As it was there was no chance even of a dowry. Who would marry a priestess and nobody really paid for exorcisms in an substantial way to feed a family of four. And Kagome was so strong willed that she might one day decide to keep the profits for herself and Kikyo would follow as she always did. There would be nothing left for him.

"So it's decided then," an elderly father informed his two daughters, "You will stop your training. I have arranged for you to wed two men in a nearby village. All this, uh, training has…"

_**Present Day** _

One hundred years. They'd been trapped inside a damaged and vulnerable child for one _hundred_ years. Initially they'd stayed as silent as they could - in the hopes that the boy might be able to lead a normal life - but all those months in silence was for naught. It wasn't a year after the incident that he began talking to some presence they couldn't see. Began acting erratically. From their place inside him, they could feel the confusion, the mania, the depression, the anxiety...every single destructive force until they too began suffering from the same. Their thoughts and feelings began fracturing...becoming less cohesive...until they too would be what one would consider mad. Then, oh and then, one day they had the idea to try to leave his body and suddenly the world became clear again - if only for a moment. Which leads us to the following moment in time...

"Why did you attack my son?" a burly man with burning amber eyes hissed as he towered over the seething undead miko, "Answer me! Now! So help me I will..."

"Beloved wait. _Wait_ ," came one of the female's voices earning a menacing frustrated growl that she pointedly ignored as she looked down at the young woman, "Where are you from?"

"Release me or face the consequences," Kikyo snarled angrily as her eyes began glowing a brilliant crimson and she began to grow a violent pink, "Demons have no place in this world."

"You remind me," the woman continued softly as she stared sadly down at the young woman, "Of a woman I knew long ago who lived by a village on the sea. She looked just like you. Higurashi I believe was her family's name."

Kikyo stilled and blinked stupidly up at the woman - the crimson slowly leeching from her eyes, "Higuarashi?"

For a moment, Kikyo's eyes went unfocused before the crimson was back and all those parties holding her down were suddenly blasted backwards as the angered spirit screamed, "The idea came from _you_ didn't it! This is _all_ your fault! I heard of a demon's _whore_ who ruined our family! This. Is. _All_. **_Your_**. **_Fault_**!"

As the figures stared at the young woman, their eyes widened in horror while they began to shimmer when Kohaku made it out of range. They watched as her figure began to twitch grotesquely - morphing into something more resembling a demon of hell than a human as she screamed in fury and began to advance.

"You **_dare_** try to stop me from avenging the wrongs inflicted on my family," Kikyo's inhuman voice echoed through the forest - the power emanating from her almost crippling in it's intensity, "You _**dare**_..."

And then they were gone and Kikyo remained where she was before a sadistic smile crossed her face and she whipped her head back in the direction of her living siblings had gone. She might have been robbed of her revenge on the undead but what sweeter victory would there be if she didn't pay their heartbreak forward?

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

It was beginning to storm. As though this entire day hadn't been shitty enough, now a torrential downpour was making an already miserable group that much more so. It was so hard to believe so much could be destroyed in such a short span of time. Like the gods had conspired against them and they were now suffering their wrath. Each second was agonizing. The fear that someone may take them unawares – their sense of smell virtually useless as the rain washed away all scent from outside their makeshift shelter. A few more had died throughout the night and morale was at rock bottom. It was the end of life as they knew it and there was little hope things would ever be as they had always known again.

"You know," one of the adolescent half-demons still remaining suddenly piped up in the tense silence – making the rest of them nearly jump out of their skins, "This reminds me of my childhood a little bit. Injured. Afraid. In a random cave. Being hunted by evil men. I mean, if I could survive that, I feel like I have a pretty good chance now."

"I'm not so sure they're evil," the red-haired fox demoness suddenly chimed in with a resigned sigh, "Yes they attacked us and yes they've killed many of our brethren but…but they were trying to protect their people. Good men are often misguided by fear. Fear makes people want control and lack of control leads to anger. Have they hurt us, killed so many? Yes. Are they evil? I doubt it."

"You're _defending_ them!" another demon quipped back angrily, "After all they've done, you can sit there and try to justify their actions! How **_dare_** you!"

"I'm merely trying to look at all this _rationally_ ," the fox demoness bristled as her eyes flashed crimson, "I've lost family today same as you! I'm hurting and grieving just like you. If that…"

"That makes it so much worse!" the ebony haired demon damn near screamed as he shot to his feet and marched over to tower over her, "You're a traitor no better than…"

"Enough!" Ginta bellowed hoarsely as he glared at the two bickering amongst themselves, "We have so many enemies now! We can't start fighting amongst ourselves. What is done is done. All we can do is move forward."

"Shut the _fuck_ up Ginta!" the ebony haired demon hissed angrily as he whipped his head towards the demon cuddling his love against his chest, "Just because shit went down doesn't mean we are _all_ going to _sit_ down and _take_ it holding hands. Fuck the humans. Fuck defending them. You _really_ think…"

"Are you challenging me? I'm the highest ranking alpha still standing in our ranks," Ginta hissed angrily, "Inuyasha is gone. Miroku and Sango are fucking possessed. That makes me your _superior_ and I say sit down and shut the fuck up!"

For a moment, the young demon breathed heavily as he glared down the much older alpha before shrugging and growling in frustration, "Fine. As long as she keeps her god damn mouth shut, I'll be a good boy and behave. **_Happy_**?"

Nodding once, Ginta turned his attention back to Shiori who was faring slightly better since their hearts began beating as one. It was such a strange turn of events and all he could hope for is that the sun would rise soon.


	42. Could Be Worse. Could Be Raining.

Cold water seeped into their clothing, stealing the heat from their bodies just as fast as the wind stole the same from their faces. Droplets ran into their eyes and dripped from their chins. Heat in their veins rushed to their cores to shelter and hoard the warmth that remains. Despite this trek through the muddy forest, despite this unnaturally cold storm, the frigid downpour and the icy puddles seemed to be the least of their worries.

"It _would_ rain," Kagome sighed miserably as she caught up to InuYasha as he forged ahead, "It couldn't get much worse, could it?"

"Could be worse. We could be dead," InuYasha sighed dejected - his lips twitched downward as he added softly and reached over to hold her hand, "But dying is easy. Living is what's hard."

"Very true," Kagome replied quietly as she squeezed his hand before swallowing thickly and asking with a nervous tone, "Do you….do you still _love_ me when you're human?"

For a few agonizingly long moments, Inuyasha was silent before he sighed and cast her a soft, lop sided grin, "It's different. Not the same. When…when I'm, uh, myself, it's like something is pulling me towards you. Like…like you're what's holding the _world_ together. You are the sun, moon and stars. When I'm like this? It's more how I _thought_ love would feel like."

Feeling both relieved and somewhat bothered by his strangely poetic proclamation, Kagome offered him a timid smile, "How did you think it'd feel?"

"Like…like being with you makes it easier to breathe. Makes me strong. Gives me something to fight for. Something to protect. Makes me feel like nothing could hurt me," he mumbled awkwardly as a faint blush adorned his cheeks and he glanced over his shoulder at Sango and Miroku who quickly pretended they weren't listening before barreling ahead – feeling like he owed some sweet words after the shit that poured from his mouth earlier, "When I see you, it makes me want to smile. Like everything is going to be alright as long as you're there."

"I feel that way too," Kagome cooed as she squeezed his hand and beamed up at him, "If you want to, once we regroup I'll go with you to see if any of the half-demons survived."

Heart melting at her words, Inuyasha gave her an appreciative grin and dragged her closer to him, "You might get hurt but thanks for offering."

"You might get hurt so I'm going with you," Kagome countered before reaching up to wipe the rain droplets off her face and shivering once, "We need to get out of this rain. We're all going to get sick."

"There's a cave up there," Sango interjected suddenly before sighing, "The survivors are there. We…we probably aren't welcome."

"Well we'll find out, won't we?" Inuyasha interjected as he made purposeful eye contact with his oldest friend, "If you're not welcome, then my place has been and will always be with you. The rest of them can go fuck themselves."

"If I didn't know better I'd say you'd pick her over me," Kagome teased making Inuyasha blanch and turn slightly panicked eyes towards her before he realized she was joking.

"She's like my sister," he mumbled awkwardly before shrugging, "She's the only _real_ family I've got left. You don't abandon family."

Beaming up at him through wet eyelashes, Kagome hummed happily in approval and rested her head on his shoulder, "Love you."

"Love you too," he murmured back before inhaling sharply as he stepped on something decidedly not forest floor. Lifting his foot, he gagged and stumbled backward pulling Kagome with him. In the barely illuminated clearing were bodies. Horrifically mutilated bodies. Maybe five or six but perhaps more.

"How many did we have before?" Kagome whispered as she tried to stave off a bout of nausea, "Not many more than twenty or thirty surely."

Casting a quick glance at Sango who seemed to have shriveled slightly upon seeing the destruction that had been inflicted by her hand, Inuyasha swallowed once before sending her a pointed nod and carefully moving around them – his firm grip on Kagome's hand never loosening.

"Well let's see who's left," he muttered under his breath as he tried to ignore the bodies on the ground before adding more quietly more to himself than the others, " _If_ there's anyone left…"

"Inuyasha, I…we didn't…" Sango pleaded quietly as she hesitantly caught up to them and placed a hand on his shoulder, "I…I couldn't…"

"I don't blame you," he responded gruffly as he swallowed thickly and glanced over his shoulder, "I don't. Just…just it's a lot to take in."

Nodding in understanding, Sango cleared her throat before falling back and nervously playing with her hands until Miroku took hold of one and clutched it to his chest. Sighing, he leaned over and whispered in her ear, "No matter what happens. I love you. We'll handle it together, okay?"

Smiling slightly at his words, Sango nodded once before grimacing as she saw the small pile of bodies by the entrance to the cave and her heart plummeted into her stomach.

"We have so many enemies now! We can't start fighting amongst ourselves," Ginta's hoarse voice suddenly traveled from inside the cave, "What is done is done. All we can do is move forward."

Casting a nervous glance over his shoulder, Inuyasha raised his eyebrow in a silent question at his oldest friend before sighing shakily and pausing in his tracks – the cold rain still cascading down from the sky.

"Shut the fuck up Ginta! Just because shit went down doesn't mean we are all going to sit down and take it holding hands. Fuck the humans. Fuck defending them. You really think…"

"Are you challenging me?" Ginta's voice hissed back to the unseen challenger, "Inuyasha is gone. Miroku and Sango are fucking possessed. That makes me…"

It was all Sango could do not to wilt in relief as those words echoed in her ears. They knew. They knew it wasn't her fault. Wasn't his fault. The argument seemed to dwindle off and for a moment there was a tense silence. Inuyasha was unsure whether to go in at this point or not while those inside seemed to have found an uneasy truce.

"You really think she'll be alright?" Ginta asked brokenly after a moment, "Even…even if I'm...we haven't….we haven't…"

"You haven't fucked her. No shit," the snarky male voice hissed back – albeit less angrily – before he sighed dejectedly, "I dunno. You're heart beats are still the same. I think…I think as long as you're fine, she'll be fine too. It's gotta be some imprinting bullshit."

"Maybe that's why Inuyasha didn't die," came another female's voice, "By all accounts, he shouldn't have. The villages in the North were decimated in less than a few days with no survivors."

Eyebrows rocketing into his bangs, Inuyasha blinked stupidly ahead then down at Kagome who seemed equally surprised before glancing back at the entrance and straining his human ears.

"Well he isn't here. We don't' know if he survived," Ginta replied with a dejected sigh, "Either way we should put the fire out. Probably drawing attention."

Sighing heavily, Inuyasha began forward again but not before casting a warm glance down at Kagome who seemed fixated on her little brother. He did love her and she had saved him. He would've died without her – not that he didn't already know that – but perhaps…perhaps her love for him…

Shaking his head, Inuyasha took a deep shuddering breath as several voices suddenly began shouting and the sounds of feet rushing out the cave became noticeable even to his human ears.

"You're alright!" several voices chirped as one – desperate relief evident in their tones before there seemed to be a gasp of shock as Miroku and Sango came into view with a very sheepish looking Sota. To say all hell broke loose would be an understatement, terrified screams intermingled with excited ones as some scrambled to get away while others still rushed forward to embrace their comrades. All in all it seemed like perhaps a dozen were left – give or take a few. It was impossible to tell in the darkness. Inuyasha slowly made his way into the cave – fighting through the masses – before inhaling sharply when he saw the bloody, pale, obviously _dying_ Shiori.

"I think she'll be okay," Ginta sighed numbly as he brushed a loose hair out of her face – unable to look at the human hanyou, "She's….my heart is beating for hers I think. I think she'll be okay."

"Yeah," Inuyasha replied at a loss for what else he could really say as he knelt down beside them before casting a worried glance at Kagome, "Could you…you know? What you did for me? Do you think that'd help?"

"I can try," Kagome replied breathlessly as she too knelt down before grimacing at Ginta, "I don't want to burn you. Can you lay her down?"

Shaking his head, Ginta instinctively pulled Shiori towards him before flinching when a tiny whimper of pain escaped her lips. Dejectedly, he chewed the inside of his cheek before holding her a little ways up his lap and giving Kagome a pointed glare, "I won't put her down but…but if I get burned, don't stop. Do whatever you need to do to save her."

Nodding, Kagome took a deep steadying breath as she held her trembling hands over the girl – her palms growing a soft pink as she gently traced the nooks and cranies of her battered body. At first, it seemed to be making no difference but then, much to the relief of her future mate, Shiori sighed and her tense muscles began to relax as the smell of blood lessened more and more with each swipe.

"Thank you," Ginta mumbled tearfully seemed to enter into a much more peaceful sleep, "I don't know what I would've done…"

"You're welcome," Kagome responded as she continued to heal the bruised and battered girl, "I don't know how much this is really doing though."

"Doing more than what I could do," Ginta replied softly before sighing in relief and finally tearing his eyes away to look at Inuyasha, "So found out something new."

"So it would seem. Heard some of it from outside," Inuyasha replied gruffly as he stared at Kagome with a soft smile on his lips, "Funny how life works isn't it?"

"I don't know if funny is the right word," Ginta replied bitterly before sighing shakily, "I wish we knew more about all this imprinting stuff."

"Me too," Inuyasha replied honestly before asking the question he was dreading, "We've lost so many. How…who…"

"We're down to probably twenty, maybe less," Ginta replied shakily as he glanced back down at Shiori, "Honestly, I don't know…how far is this village we're trying to get to?"

"A few miles," Inuyasha sighed as he plopped down against the wall and rested his hands on his crossed legs, "We saw Sango's brother. And apparently there's some type of ghost going around cursing people. We've got some shit to deal with."

"Not right now though," Kagome chided softly as she ran a finger down Shiori's nose, "We need to get everyone to Sango's village and make a plan I think. We can't lose anyone else."

"I'm grateful you're on our side," Ginta sighed as he gave Kagome an appreciative smile, "Very grateful."

"My brother is trained as well," Kagome added awkwardly as she cleared her throat, "He'll be able to help as well."

"Your brother? How on earth…" Ginta replied slowly as he glanced at Inuyasha who nodded once, "That's, um, _unexpected_ , is it not?"

"Plot twist. The ghost is her sister," Inuyasha added with grim amusement as he closed his eyes and leaned his head against the stone wall, "Don't question this too much right now. We've got a long day tomorrow."

"I'll have Sota put up a barrier," Kagome murmured appreciatively as she gave Ginta an apologetic smile, "I've done what I can."

"Thanks," Ginta replied breathlessly as he began sniffing Shiori's injuries, "She seems to be doing a little better."

"I'm glad," Kagome huffed as she pushed herself to her feet and walked to the edge of the cave, "Everyone come in. Sota I need you to put up a barrier for the night. Can you do that?"

Nodding once, Sota awkwardly walked into the cave – giving everyone a very awkward, strained smile before flopping down exhaustedly at the cave entrance and erecting a barrier with little to no effort.

"You sure he's on our side," Ginta whispered to Inuyasha as he watched the boy with mild awe, "I'd hate to…"

"No questions," Inuyasha mumbled tiredly as he reached up to help Kagome get into place between his legs – dragging her against him and guiding her head into the nape of his neck, "Just…just focus on your woman. If Sota tries anything, Kagome'll kick his ass."

"Damn straight," Kagome mumbled tiredly as she sighed and relaxed more against him, "Damn fucking straight."

"Language my little miko," Inuyasha teased as he rested his cheek on the top of her head, "Whatever would your shrine say if they heard you talking that way?"

"That a half-demon corrupted me," Kagome teased back tiredly as she pressed her lips to his neck, "And I'd say damn straight he did and hell itself couldn't drag me away."

Laughing softly, Inuyasha sighed as he watched Sota's barrier gently surging across the cave entrance – the young boy glancing over his shoulder every once in a while with a warm, relieved smile directed at his sister, then at his new hanyou brother in law before turning back to the barrier.


	43. A Child's Plea

"I haven't been out of the palace walls in almost a century," one of the half-demons in the cave commented idly to the young boy as he sat beside him and stared longingly out of the entrance, "It was never allowed."

"Why couldn't you leave?" Sota replied quietly as he glanced at the boy and cocked his head to the side in confusion, "Don't get me wrong but it just seems odd."

"Well, when I worked for Lord Inuyasha…" the half-demon sighed as he ran a hand through his tussled turquoise hair, "It wasn't his fault. The law was that servants weren't allowed to leave. I mean, we could go to the market and the village on the outskirts on the grounds but outside of that? No."

"Did you get paid?" Sota asked casually as he glanced over his shoulder at his sister sleeping in the equally dozing lord, "Or were you guys…"

"In a way we were _slaves_ if that's your question," the young man answered honestly as he glanced at the human out of the corner of his amber eyes, "For me, though, it was a choice. It was better than anything I was getting out here. Food, a roof over my head, some pocket change…"

"But you couldn't leave," Sota began carefully, "Why would you choose to go somewhere you could never leave?"

"Half-demons….we don't _really_ have a place in the world," the young man sighed heavily as he pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his chin atop them, "Humans won't let us in their village. Demons want nothing to do with us. So when I heard there was someone who employed half-demons I was all for it."

"That's awful. I never thought…" Sota began with a shaky sigh before glancing over his shoulder at the humanoid hanyou, "Do you regret your decision?"

"Not at all," the young man laughed shakily as he continued to watch the rain fall outside with that same strange longing, "Inuyasha….he's just as trapped as we are in his own way. He doesn't treat us as slaves or even servants really. Well, okay…he treats us as servants but only because his brother was breathing down his neck about the whole thing. At first, he treated us…..I don't know. As equals I guess."

"So he caved under pressure," Sota asked casually as his lips twitched downward and he furrowed his brow, "That's…"

"It wasn't just _pressure_. Sesshomaru _killed_ one of us in front of him," the young man replied bitterly as he sent the boy beside him a withering glare, "Bound him so he couldn't fight and made him _watch_. He threatened that he'd do it to us all if he didn't start following the law regarding servants. If _we_ left the palace….if _Inuyasha_ left the palace….Sesshomaru threatened to kill us all. So Inuyasha gave us all jobs but he paid us more than any other house, let us have more freedom than any other house….treated us better than any other lord or lady in the palace. He never really had a choice. He could protect us better within the palace than outside it."

"And still you couldn't leave," Sota sighed sadly – any bad thought concerning her sister's intended fleeing his mind, "Would he have let you, do you think? You know, if he could've…"

"Definitely," the young man chuckled darkly before gesturing idly at nothing, "But he wanted to protect us and I don't blame him for that. Still….I did miss this. _Nature_ , I mean. I lived in the forest for a long time on my own."

"That sounds lonely," Sota commented with a soft sigh, "I never knew life was so hard for half-demons. I wasn't in training very long….to be a priest I mean….but they seemed to really want to instill in us that all demons were evil. That anyone with youkai in their veins was evil. We all seem pretty similar though now that I've met some. Like anyone else."

"Well….there are some evil ones," the young man begrudgingly admitted before snorting, "More like trashy ones. They don't follow any rules. Sort of like human bandits. Some others run purely on animal instincts. Not all of them are like us."

"That makes sense," Sota sighed as he chewed the inside of his cheek, "Still, it seems such a shame that they paint all demons with one brush."

"Demons do it too," the young man countered with a dark chuckle, "A lot of them believe humans are the scum of the earth."

"Well I'm glad to have met you all," Sota responded honestly as he sent the young man a warm smile, "I'm glad to have found my sister once more and that she's unharmed. It couldn't have been that bad if…"

"Oh it was bad," the young man cut in nervously before flinching at the look on Sota's face, "At first anyway but, uh, Sango and Inuyasha, uh, helped her recover."

"What happened _exactly_?" Sota asked in a low somewhat angry voice before realizing how it sounded and shaking his head apologetically, "My anger isn't at you or even Inuyasha. My father was a _bastard_ and it _kills_ me that I let this happen to my sisters because of _him_. I just…I want to know."

"It's not really my place to say," the young man answered uneasily as he bit his lip and glanced nervously over at the sleeping humanoid hanyou – noting how Ginta was suddenly seeming very interested in their conversation as were several of the others – although much more subtly. Sighing shakily, the young man grimaced and cowered slightly before clearing his throat, "So, uh, there was this demon named Naraku…he took, um, _advantage_ of Inuyasha leaving her alone and…and…uh…well….you know what? Why don't you ask _her_?"

"Not right now," Sota replied quietly as his face grew incredibly sad and he turned his attention back to the barrier, "When she's ready to tell me, she will. I think…she _shouldn't_ trust me yet. Trust is something you build over time. So in time…if she wants…she can tell me."

Relaxing visibly, the young man nodded in approval as he sighed and looked forlornly into the rain as he whispered to himself, "I wonder what will become of us now."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kohaku's feet slipped outwards on the wet autumn leaves as he maneuvered through the trees at speeds most demon could only dream of achieving, the cold evening air shocking his throat and lungs as he inhaled deeper, pushed himself to go even faster. With each footfall a jarring pain shot from his ankle to his knee – over and over. Perhaps jumping down that cliff in an attempt to throw his pursuers off wasn't the best decision he'd ever made but it was no matter. His heart beat frantically as he risked a glance over his shoulder. Fail and this young woman in his arms would pay the price. He knew it. He just knew it. He had to get away. They called him mad but madmen knew nothing and he knew one thing above all others.

He loved her.

Like…. _really_ loved her.

Why or how this came to pass he hadn't the faintest clue but honestly, he didn't care. The fact that he didn't even know her name didn't bother him in the slightest. He would move the moon and stars for her if she asked if….if she would have him.

Slowing down slightly, his lips twitched downwards as he glanced at the unconscious girl in his arms. Would she want someone like him? Someone who was barely holding onto reality. Whose mind was irreversibly broken. It would break him further to leave her but perhaps that would be best. Perhaps….

His heart sunk into his stomach as the men and women who haunted his mind suddenly appeared beside him. A not so subtle reminder of the insanity that plagued him….that would plague _her_ were she to stay by his side. He might have a choice in the matter but…but she _should_. It wasn't her fault that he imprinted on her…if that's really what it was. For all he knew, she was yet _another_ fixation. The last time it'd happened though it was more ' _burn the village to the ground'_ rather than a positive feeling of love and loyalty. Not that it mattered. A fixation was a fixation and he'd never get any better if he kept feeding into his delusions. He'd been working on it. He wanted to get better. He…he…

Sighing heavily, Kohaku came to a full stop – pointedly ignoring the shadowy figures who accompanied him and sat down on the forest floor – rocking the unconscious woman gently as he closed his eyes and leaned against a nearby tree. This was wrong. He should've listened to Sango but – for some inexplicable reason – he _never_ listened to her. He knew he should listen to her but knowing something doesn't mean you have the wits about you to act on it.

There was always a suspicion there….

There was always something there….

Watching…

Waiting…

 _Watching_ …

 ** _Waiting_** …

Not that it mattered. He was mad after all. They say madmen know nothing but one thing he knew. He loved the small girl in his arms.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sesshomaru sighed heavily as he wiped flecks of congealed blood from his face and flicked it carelessly onto the ruined palace floor. They'd retreated for the night, battered and bruised – leaving him alone with his thoughts and regrets. Word had come from the North and East that those groups that had left with that destination in mind never arrived. Either they were delayed or hundreds more were lost this day. All for the sake of his pride. Huffing exasperatedly he kicked a smoldering piece of wood – sending it careening through the air until it came into contact with that intricately carved ruin of a door that had once belonged to his brother's dearest friend. Swallowing thickly, Sesshomaru slowly approached and stepped through the ruined wall that crumbled into dust against the gently ruffling of his clothing and sighed. It had been at least a century since he'd stepped foot in this room. Two young faces looking up at him with a mixture of grief and hope as he explained their new station in life. Inuyasha had adored him at the time – virtually worshipped the very ground his older brother walked upon but that hadn't lasted long. There were many things he wished he would've handled differently. Perhaps being honest with his younger brother for one. Shortly after their father died, it became clear that there was a plot to murder the little newly appointed half-breed lord. To use him against his elder brother as a way of gaining power over the Western lands. So in response, Sesshomaru was cruel. Unnecessarily so in retrospect. No one would dare attempt to harm Inuyasha if they thought his life meant nothing to the InuNoTaisho but then he began treating his servants like equals and a target was placed on his head once more. A small rebellion began in one house, then another and another – all crushed ruthlessly but resentment and blame was being placed on the small boy who most likely was seeking out company and companionship in his choice of servants rather than servants themselves.

So he killed one of his new familiars. It seemed…. _logical_ at the time. Instructions and advice had fallen upon deaf ears and it was well know that Inuyasha was an action oriented youth. It had been a frail and sickly child – far too easy prey that Inuyasha had been coddling and pampering. Sesshomaru regretted his actions almost immediately as he stared down at the lifeless child in his arms before risking a glance at the restrained and heartbroken child in front of him. Something had broken inside the boy that day. He'd withdrawn and clung to the baku girl like his very life depended on it.

Sighing heavily, he moved through the ash covered room slowly – trying to envision the small children sharing their secrets and bonding. He should've handled so many things differently. So many things. Instead…instead…

Stopping he furrowed his brow at a shiny silver box in the corner that was seemingly untouched by the wave of destruction the fire had inflicted. Slowly he approached it, eyeing it wearily. It sat where a set of drawers must've stood given the variations in the burn pattern but somehow this box was left unscathed. Perhaps it was some foreign heat resistant metal or perhaps something else entirely. Bending down amongst the soot and ash, Sesshomaru reached out and pulled the small box into his lap before gently prying it open. Inside were dozens of letters. Dozens. Each written in an elegant hand and given the yellowing of the parchment decades old.

Gingerly picking one off the top, Sesshomaru glanced over it and his face fell slightly as he read. It was from Lady Sango's father wishing her luck on some examination. Picking up another and yet another, he realized it was not only from her parent's but from…from father and Lady Izayoi as well. They must have kept them here for safe keeping. Perhaps forgotten about them entirely as they got older. Gingerly placing the box on the ground, he read through them each – one by one. There was life advice, reassurances of a safe return, words filled with love and affection. Towards the bottom, however, was one that was slightly different. One that was written by an untrained hand….Inuyasha's hand…and that apparently was never sent.

_'I heard Lady Hana praying. She was praying for you and for Sango's brother. She said something about you both being trapped which means you must be alive. Please come home or tell me where you are. I'll come find you. I hate it here. It's not the same without you. I feel alone and…'_

Smiling sadly, Sesshomaru ran a solitary finger down the letter and sighed before he furrowed his brow and read it again. Lady Hana had been a human and not just some nameless servant. A human who was the last person to see Inuyasha's mother alive. Who had been almost a familiar of his mother. There was something more here that Inuyasha couldn't have possibly understood. Pulling several of the other letters from the box once more Sesshomaru spent several hours pouring over them all in extreme detail before coming back to the short letter his brother had written so many years ago.

"Trapped," Sesshomaru murmured to himself before muttering much slower as he read over the short letter once more, "Trapped _where_ …"

Father had died, he had been there when it happened, but perhaps…perhaps if her soul had been trapped….perhaps…

Stuffing the letter concerning Lady Hana into his kimono, he fluidly stood and patted the ash off the silk. The only person who may have answers would be the boy. Perhaps…just perhaps…

Sighing, Sesshomaru cast a forlorn glance around the ruins before shaking his head and launching into the sky in a ball of light. The Western Lands had fallen but perhaps not all was lost.


	44. Wise, Old and Senile

One day passed. Two days. Three. Four. Ravens had been sent to the other safe locations and so far no response from anyone. A growing fear was growing in everyone's gut that perhaps they were the only ones left. That survived from the one formidable legion of demons that had once reigned over the Western Lands. Spiritual wards had been placed on the fortress walls surrounding the village and guards were placed to keep constant watch. Everything was different now. No longer was the world safe for demon kind.

Despite all the bad things happening in the world around them, two little birds were trying to make the best of the situation. It was early still as Kagome propped herself up on her elbow to better watch him as he slept. The way his ears twitched almost imperceptibly in time with what she assumed was his heartbeat. The way he murmured her name. The way every once in a while a small snore would escape him. It only made sense that they share one of the huts that had been prepared in anticipation of what had been presumed to be at least a hundred refugees. After all, they were a couple and they had been sharing a bed until now - although, admittedly, under distressing circumstances. Still, the way his lips twitched upwards if she ran her finger down his nose. The way those ears twitched, the murmuring of her name, those small snores...despite everything, each day she seemed to love him more and more.

Carefully, ever so carefully, she reached up to gentle fondle his ear when his hand suddenly came up to grab her wrist quicker than she could blink and her hand was dragged against his chest.

"You're so predictable," he murmured groggily - his eyes cracking open as he gave her a warm, tired smile, "I'll never understand why my ears fascinate you so much."

Sighing in playful defeat, Kagome pouted slightly and tried to give him pleading eyes as she murmured back and pulled weakly against his grip, "I just want to pet them a little. Just a little. _Please?"_

"Well you make a strong argument," Inuyasha teased as he slowly released her hand and closed his eyes once more – his breath hitching slightly as her nimble fingers made contact and quickly scratched the base just how he liked. Sighing happily, Inuyasha adjusted himself down the futon to give her better access as he enjoyed the sensations running through his body. They'd been rather lazy these past few days. Once the wards were positioned, it became abundantly clear how exhausted the pair truly were and they slept soundly for almost fifteen hours. After that, they'd tried to determine whether anything needed to be done and quickly found there was nothing to occupy their time. So they decided to spend time together. To understand each other and decide where they wanted to go from here. Whether they would stay in this village or seek their destiny elsewhere. Whether children were in their future and how many. Their hopes, their dreams for each other and themselves.

"Why don't you like talking about your mother?" Kagome asked quietly as Inuyasha tried to stifle a groan when she hit a particularly sensitive bundle of nerves before he sighed and gently reached up to remove her nimble fingers.

"Ah, the truth comes out," Inuyasha teased playfully as he looked up into her eyes, "Get me relaxed and ask me the hard questions."

"I told you about Kikyo," Kagome pointed out as she chewed the inside of her cheek, "and even though my father sold me, I told you about him. Why won't you tell me about your mother?"

Shrugging, Inuyasha bit his lip for a moment as he averted his eyes, "She died a century ago, maybe more than that. And…and for a long time I thought she'd come back so it's hard to talk about."

"She died though," Kagome asked as she furrowed her brow in confusion, "Did you just not understand death or…"

"It _wasn't_ ….so there was this servant who'd she'd been close to that I overheard praying once," Inuyasha sighed heavily as he reached up and idly ran his claws through Kagome's ebony locks, "Asking that my mother and father be protected throughout their lives. She wrote letters addressed to my mother that she sent by raven when she thought no one was watching. It made me think that maybe….anyway, she was writing letters so I began to write letters. _So_ many. _Dozens_ of copies and I sent them to every village I could think she might be. For a long time I was angry. Longer than I'd like to admit. Thought she was _hiding_ from me. Left me _alone_. Until one day I accepted that she must have died. Father wouldn't've died unless she had died too so…I'm not saying it made _sense_ but….but…"

"I'm sorry," Kagome cooed sympathetically as she reached up to still his hand, "and I'm sure if she had lived she wouldn't have left you alone. I'm sure she loved you. Very much."

Nodding sadly, Inuyasha sighed and closed his eyes, "I know she did. Doesn't matter anyway. I turned out fine."

"You did," Kagome responded softly as she nuzzled his nose with her own, "And you're not alone. I'm right here and I'll be right here for as long as you'll have me."

"As long as I'll have you, you say?" Inuyasha teased as he sat up to place a soft kiss on her nose before plopping down and giving her a loving yet soft smile, "What if I say forever?"

"Forever sounds wonderful," Kagome sighed happily before pulling him into a reassuring kiss. Inuyasha closed his eyes and returned this token of affection before pulling back and giving her a coy grin, "You really think you'd be able to put up with me forever? A lifetime of arguments and…"

Giggling and rolling her eyes, Kagome cut him off with a less than welcome innocent kiss that sent a shiver down his spine and had him whimpering into her mouth as they maneuvered themselves - never breaking contact - until they were both lying on the small futon. Propping himself up by one elbow, Inuyasha captured a hold on both of Kagome's arms and pushed her down onto her back, covering her body with his. He went in for a deeper kiss, trying to get his fix but knowing he would never get his fill. He nestled his hips between her legs, not really even thinking about his positioning, just letting his body fall where it naturally did.

As he ground his hips against her, Kagome froze - a brief flash of unrelenting panic coursing through her system as unwanted tears pooled in the corners of her eyes. It took a few moments of her immobilized state for InuYasha to snap himself out of his heated state. Upon the scent of her tears, he jumped back like she'd electrocuted him.

"Kagome?" he whispered huskily - the lingering tone of lust still present in his tone as he reached out tentative fingers towards her, "I thought...you've been doing better, right? You know I'd...that I wouldn't..."

"It's….not…" Kagome sobbed as she tried to collect herself and quell her growing hysteria, "I…don't…know…why…I'm…"

"Shhhhh," Inuyasha soothed as he collected her into his arms and began to rock her gently as he ran his hand through her ebony locks, "It's okay. Nothing will ever hurt you like that again."

Choking back another heartwrenching sob, the words spilled from her mouth before she could think to stop him, "What about when you change?"

Flinching, Inuyasha swallowed thickly as he clutched her incrementally tighter, "That…that won't happen again. I'd never…"

"You don't know that," Kagome continued to sob as she mentally berated herself and her heart plummeted to her stomach, "You could change and he'd…he'd…"

"I…" Inuyasha began slowly – his voice breaking ever so as he found himself at a loss for words. What could he really say after all? He couldn't control the demon part of him anymore than he could control the sun, moon and stars. Swallowing thickly, he sighed shakily, "I don't know what to say. He's...he locks me out and I don't…I can't promise…I want to but…"

Clenching her eyes shut, Kagome choked back a sob as she fisted his robe tightly in her hand, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't…"

"Shhhh," Inuyasha soothed as he took a shuddering breath, "It's not your fault. You have nothing to apologize for, okay?"

"I shouldn't have brought it up," Kagome sobbed uncontrollably as she buried her face in his chest, "I don't…I love you. I do love you. I promise."

"I know," Inuyasha sighed – at a loss of how to really comfort her in this moment, "I love you too."

And so they sat there – each at a loss of what to say or what to do – merely finding comfort in the embrace. Inuyasha placing a gentle reassuring kiss on her temple every once in a while as he rocked her. Kagome muttering over and over that she loved him until she finally succumbed to slumber in his arms.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Totosai," Sesshomaru hissed as he threw the letter Inuyasha had written so many years ago, "Explain."

"Eh? What's this?" an elderly demon growled sleepily as he scratched the top of his head and picked up the parchment – his lips moving as he read over the letter before he loved up at the daiyoukai with thinly veiled amusement, "You want to know if he was onto something, eh?"

"Is it true?" Sesshomaru replied stoically – his eyes betraying his hope and fear, "Are they alive?"

"Hard to say but you saw him pass before your very eyes," the elderly demon chuckled darkly as he held up the old parchment, "This? You want to believe the delusions of a child, do you?"

"That is not what I asked," Sesshomaru sighed – his cold façade fading as he plopped down on the ground and snatched the parchment from the old man's hand. Hitting the parchment lightly with the back of his hand, the daiyoukai huffed in frustration, "I remember rumors of a similar nature. Demons challenging me when I rose to power that the InuNoTaisho still lived despite seeing his rotting corpse. Could it be possible that his true form is trapped somewhere? How _could_ it be possible?"

"I mean…" Totosai sighed heavily as he cricked his neck and dug his finger deep into his ear, "There is a spell to banish souls. An ancient spell. Usually it'll attach them to a vessel of some kind. Your father and Lady Izayoi possessed an impress. If she fell victim to such a spell, her soul would call out to his. It's improbable. Damn near impossible, honestly. A human must be sacrificed for each soul banished. Three souls might've been lost that day so three humans would've needed to be killed in their stead to perform the blood magic."

"Three humans," Sesshomaru repeated slowly as he furrowed his brow and glanced down at the parchment, "From what I recall, Lady Hana….her husband and two children were killed shortly before or after the incident. That is why she returned to our House. She had…she was an intimate of Lady Izayoi for many years. I remember her well."

"Then it might be possible," Totosai responded as he rolled his eyes and stretched his arms above his head, "Now if you're done flapping your trap, I have a nap to return to. Goodbye."

Huffing, Sesshomaru reached over to smack the old man upside the head – his lips twitching upward as he did so – before standing and leaving the hermit's strange home with a determined look on his face. There was no reason to bring up the destruction of the Western Lands if indeed the hermit was not already aware. There was no time to spend defending his actions against the old man.

He had a baku to find.


	45. The Things We Do for Love

_'Oh the things we do for love,'_ Inuyasha groused at himself as he walked towards the small hut where Kagome's younger brother was resting. The hut was much smaller than the others and on the outskirts of the village. Despite the reassurances that Kagome had given, a priest who had previously been possessed seemed like too great a risk to be placed in the midst of everything. Still, Sota had something Inuyasha needed. Something that might fix whatever concerns Kagome might still have about their relationship.

"Oi Sota! You up?" Inuyasha called out as he reached the small entryway, "Got something I need to talk to you about."

A very tired and disheleved looking young man pulled back the bamboo reeds blocking his entryway before gesturing for the half-demon to come in and muttering ' _make yourself comfortable_.'

"How can I help you?" Sota yawned as he stretched his hands over his head and scratched the back of his neck before pausing. This guy looked nervous as hell – fidgeting and blushing from his place on the dirt floor.

"It's about Kagome," Inuyasha managed to huff as he folded his arms across his chest and attempted a superior look, "and I got some questions."

"Don't tell me you're asking for my blessing to marry her?" Sota snorted as he plopped down on his futon, "You know her well enough to know she does whatever she damn well pleases. If I said no, she'd marry you just to spite me. Not that she's mean spirited or anything just…"

"Tell me about those beads you placed on Miroku and Sango," Inuyasha cut the boy off impatiently, "How do they work?"

"Oh, uh, the beads," Sota replied awkwardly as his face fell, "Well, there's this jewel that somehow controls the wearer into doing anything the possessor demands. It overpowers whatever free will the wearer might possess. Why do you ask?"

"In theory, a friend of mine has, uh, problems controlling their youkai sometimes," Inuyasha began slowly, careful, intentionally as Sota arched a single brow, "Kagome has concerns that this friend might one day hurt her."

"So you want to place the beads on your _friend_ ," Sota replied knowingly as he appraised the nervous looking half-demon, "Because this _friend_ loses control and might hurt my sister. Is that right?"

"Yeah," Inuyasha huffed as he averted his eyes and suddenly found the floorboards extremely fascinating, "This friend of mine doesn't want anything to happen to her so he thought it might be a good idea to have a failsafe that she controls. To give her peace of mind."

"So this friend would give complete control to my hot headed sister," Sota began slowly as his lips formed a thin line and twitched downwards, "Because he has violent tendencies."

"Not all the time!" Inuyasha snapped defensively before freezing and clearing his throat as a blush bloomed on his cheeks, "Just _sometimes_. When he almost dies or his injuries are real bad. It just kinda takes over."

"How many times has this happened?" Sota asked carefully – his eyes taking in the hanyou's defensive posture, "Is it often?"

"Only three times ever. It's rare, okay?" Inuyasha replied nervously as he met the young boy's knowing gaze. Deflating visibly, Inuyasha sighed, "You _obviously_ know I'm talking about me. I…when Miroku and Sango attacked everybody I lost control and tried to, uh… _attack_ her."

"And she's worried you'll do it again," Sota replied with a heavy sigh before furrowing his brow, "And you're worried you'll do it again so you want these beads so it _won't_ happen. You're trying to protect her, even from yourself."

"Yeah well, the shit we do for love," Inuyasha muttered as he chewed the inside of his cheek, "So can you put the beads on me or not?"

"I won't put these beads on you," Sota replied without hesitation– earning a judgmental glance from the half-demon before he collected himself and scoffed. Rolling his eyes, the boy continued with a somewhat exasperated sigh, "I won't do it _because_ if the jewel is taken from _Kagome_ , they'll have complete control over you. What I can do, _however_ , is enchant the beads and let Kagome come up with a trigger word to say whenever you lose control. That way she would have that power exclusively and no one could abuse it. It should stop you from attacking her and give her a chance to escape. No jewel involved."

"That might work," Inuyasha acknowledged after a period of tense silence – his head nodding slightly as he found the courage to meet Sota's gaze, "So can we do this now or…."

"I think we need to ask Kagome what she thinks before we do anything," Sota chuckled lightly before he smirked his brother-in-law, "She _hates_ when people make decisions for her. She might not want control over you."

"And I don't want something to happen to her," Inuyasha quipped back as he set his jaw and stood up to leave, "Something's gotta be done or we can't move forward."

"Ask her first," Sota replied as he stood up and patted the half-demon on the back, "Trust me. It'd be best if you talked with her about it first."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

" _Wait_ , you want _what_ now?!" Kagome hissed incredulously as she stared at Inuyasha like he'd grown a second head, "Why the _hell_ would you want that?"

"Why do you have to be so _difficult_?" Inuyasha clipped back angrily, "I'd do it for you! Isn't that reason enough?"

"I don't _want_ that kind of power over you!" Kagome huffed in frustration as she firmly placed her hands on her lips and stomped her foot, "That's _wrong_ and you know it."

"Oh _is_ it wrong? Is it? The power to stop me if I try to attack you again?" Inuyasha laughed incredulously as an angry growl reverberated in his chest, "Or what happens if your sister decides to make _me_ her next target? Takes advantage of me?"

"Or takes advantage of me and then _you_ can't escape!" Kagome retorted as she continued to stare him down, "I don't want to take that risk!"

"And I don't want to do something that we'll _both_ regret," Inuyasha hissed back, "Why are you so stubborn bitch?!"

"Oh so now I'm a _bitch_ because I don't want to _control_ you. Well _excuse_ me!" Kagome chuckled in a disturbing and mildly hysterical tone, "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!"

"This morning you started crying because I _kissed_ you! How are we ever going to do _anything_ if I can't even _kiss_ you anymore!?" Inuyasha groaned in frustration – his claws digging into his palms before blanching when Kagome's face contorted into a bizarre combination of hurt and disgust.

"You only want these beads so I'll fuck you!" Kagome scoffed once in disgust, "I can't _believe_ you!"

"That's _not_ why I want the beads!" Inuyasha quipped back defensively as he threw his hands up into the air and growled deep in his chest, "I almost raped you god dammit! Do you think _I_ want to do something and have to live with that the rest of my life? The world doesn't revolve around _you_!"

For a moment, the two stared each other down – neither wanting to admit defeat but both knowing they were being somewhat ridiculous but both feeling they were in the right. A person passing by would never know whether they were about to kill each other or make out based on body language alone. Finally, Kagome's face began to relax and she loosened her defensive posture.

"So you'd really do that for me? To give me peace of mind? I guess that wouldn't be so bad" Kagome finally sighed hoarsely – her voice somewhat gruff from the screaming match that had ensued. Rolling his eyes and forcing his muscles to relax, Inuyasha nodded once as he narrowed his eyes, "So what you're saying is that I'm right and you're wrong?"

"I'm saying that it might not be a bad idea," Kagome replied – a slight bite to her words, "I want to learn more about such a thing before I put them on you so I can make an educated decision."

"And where exactly are you going to learn about them, huh?" Inuyasha replied blithely, "A local temple? Gee, whatever could go wrong?"

Setting her jaw, Kagome glared at the half-demon for but a moment before huffing in frustration, "Fine. You want me to put them on you, _fine_ but don't come bitching to me when it backfires."

" _Finally_ ," Inuyasha sighed in frustration as he smirked and rolled his eyes, "I mean damn woman, anybody else would be jumping at the chance to have a way to keep their mate in line. I damn near had to twist your arm."

"Still think it's not the best idea in the world," Kagome replied as she set her jaw and gave the hanyou a side-eyed glare as she reached down to pick up a small basket, "But hey, if you want to give me control over you that works for me. I could make you my slave and make you clean the hut whenever I wanted. Make you cook, clean…."

"You wouldn't dare," Inuyasha gasped in mock offense earning an amused smile from the miko before continuing with a falsely irate growl, "The _audacity_!"

"Just saying, don't come crying to me if it backfires," Kagome replied in a sing-song tune as she balanced the small basket on her hip and moved to exit the hut, "Now come on. We need to get our rations for the day."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Almost a dozen priests trembled but held their ground as the monster advanced on them. Its physique hardly discernible in the shadowy twilight of the alley. With each slow movement that belied the speed it was capable of, blood dripping grotesquely from it's opaque as it grinned menacingly at them.

"I need your souls," the monster crooned as it moved its head from side to side like a snake, "And perhaps a body as well."

"Be gone demon!" one of the priests finally bellowed as he reached into his robes and thrust a sutra at her – his eyes growing wide when the paper burst into flames before it even reached the creature.

"You dare attempt to use sutras on a priestess," the monster chuckled softly as it's eyes flashed red, "Foolish boy."

The men didn't have a chance to attack again as the monster rushed forward and enveloped them whole – their chilling screams of terror and pain cut off unnaturally in mere seconds.


	46. Disobedience

A muscle twitched involuntarily at the corner of Inuyasha's right eye while his mouth formed a rigid grimace. With arms folded tightly across his broad chest he tapped his foot furiously as he groaned when Kagome offered yet another word that could potentially have disastrous consequences.

"Silence?" Kagome sighed wearily from her place near the firepit in her younger brother's hut, "or maybe leave?"

"You could say either of those at any time!" Inuyasha huffed in frustration as he gestured vaguely at nothing, "The point would be to keep it between us! Those could slip out at any time."

"Well I don't hear _you_ coming up with any better words," Kagome replied blithely as she rolled her eyes before sending the hanyou a withering side-eyed glare, "All _you're_ doing is shooting down every word I put out there."

"Clap?" Kagome offered as she narrowed her eyes in challenge before barreling forward when the hanyou opened his mouth to protest, "Crawl? Dig?"

"It doesn't have to be a command word," Sota groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "You could say my name for all I care. Just _pick_ _something_."

Blushing a light shade of pink, Kagome grinned sheepishly before glancing over at the hanyou. For a moment, she seemed to be appraising him before her eyes grew wide and she smiled sadly.

"What was your mother's name?" the miko asked quietly as Inuyasha's eyebrows shot straight up into his bangs, "You always refer to her as your mother and I do too. That'd be something purposeful and unlikely for either of us to say or an enemy to guess."

In that moment, Inuyasha's amber eyes melted slightly as he gave her a soft, adoring smile and nodded. Sota – for his part- watched the half-demon curiously with a soft smile on his own lips. That was how a man was supposed to look at his wife. His…his father never looked at his mother like that. There was almost something disapproving in his gaze. Some type of disappointment. Perhaps at one time he loved her but the truth was more likely that he never loved anyone but himself. A selfish man who cared more about creature comforts than his own children. Given Sota's new circumstances in life, he considered what he had learned of demon mating thus far. Yes, this Inuyasha fellow had imprinted on his sister and that was an instinct. There was no denying, however, the look of pure, unadulterated _love_ in this demon's gaze. How many demons had spiritual men killed who were like him or any of the others here? Just average men and women going about their day with mates and children of their own? How many had fallen in love with mortal men and women only to watch them die of old age centuries before them? His smile faltering slightly he glanced between the two who were discussing the prospect of using his mother's name. His _human_ mother's name. A woman who was probably long dead before her child had even reached _puberty_.

"How old was your mother when she died?" Sota asked quietly – effectively silencing the two others in the room who both looked at him curiously, "You must've been very young."

"It was about a hundred years ago," Inuyasha responded slowly as he cast a side-eyed glance at Kagome, "She had to be about a century old by the time she was killed. I was about seven or eight in human years."

"So you only knew her seven or eight years old?" Sota sighed sadly as he furrowed his brow and glanced at Kagome, "That's…"

"More like seventy," Inuyasha responded awkwardly – cringing slightly when Sota whipped his head in his direction in shock, "I'm like about two hundred fifty give or take. So I'm about twenty in…"

"Wait, what?!" Sota scoffed before whipping a mildly horrified glare at Kagome, "And you're okay with this?! He's so _old_!"

"Hey, who are you calling old?!" Inuyasha clipped back angrily as he threw a single hand up in frustration, "It's not like I'm that much older than her. Not really. She's fifteen!"

"Yeah, she's freaking _fifteen_!" Sota countered as crinkled his nose in disgust, "And you're…"

"Basically _twenty_ ," Kagome cut in heatedly as she folded her arms across her chest, "I could've been married off two years ago if it wasn't for training so don't tell me I'm not old enough. That's _ridiculous_."

"I never realized demons were so old though," Sota replied incredulously before gesturing at Kagome as he gaped at Inuyasha, "She'll die before you even look twenty five! You _don't_ see a problem with that? From my understanding, an imprint is forever! You'd just be alone! What the _literal_ …"

"There's a ritual we'll do when the time is right," Kagome interrupted exasperatedly, "We've already talked about it and it's decided. Once it's done we'll share a lifespan."

"But I mean…" Sota pressed desperately as he released a shuddering breath and tried to take a step back to evaluate the true origin of his fear, "His father should be alive, right? I mean, one can survive without the other or…or how does it work?"

"Women can outlive their mates if that's what your asking," Inuyasha replied a little harsher than he intended, "So if you're worried I'll get myself _killed_ then…"

"So _you_ can't outlive _her_?" Sota murmured quietly as he gave the hanyou a empathetic smile, "What would happen is she died in child birth or someone killed her? There's no palace here. No safety net. Who will take the children?"

Blanching visibly, Kagome turned frantic eyes towards Inuyasha who merely looked resigned and nodded once in understanding as he scratched the side of his neck, "Guess I'd hope Sango would take them or maybe Shiori. Other than that I don't know."

Sota sighed heavily as he ran his hand up and down his neck. In all honesty, he wasn't opposed to their union but he strongly felt his concerns were valid. He'd give anything to live as long as them – if not longer – to ensure his sister's children always had a place to go and someone to love them. While young, he'd given thought to marriage and when the time was right, he'd always just assumed he'd enter the priesthood. Now though….but it wouldn't be fair. A piece of him would always be worried he'd just chose them for selfish reasons and he was not his father. Glancing up at the apprehensive looking couple, he gave them a reassuring smile before muttering a quiet apology. No, he was not his father. Sota wanted – more than he'd ever wanted anything – to one day know whatever Inuyasha felt when that adoring look graced his features. He wanted somebody to love just as fiercely as his sister loved that man.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"Explain to me again why it is necessary to pursue the evacuees?" the general asked in a cold tone of voice – his lips forming a thin line as his advisers sighed exasperatedly and began offering vague excuses concerning risk of rebellion.

"If we massacre them, are we truly better?" he countered hotly as he narrowed his eyes, "The orders were to take the palace not to eliminate hundreds of innocent bystanders."

"Several survived and have been taken prisoner," one of the monks huffed in frustration as he set his jaw, "Besides, the purpose of this meeting is to inform you that over the past few days dozens of my order have disappeared in their pursuit. The demons _must_ be behind it."

"And so the cycle continues," the general countered wearily as some of the rigidness drained from his posture, "How many prisoners do we have?"

"Roughly fourteen," the monk answered with a sigh of relief, "We've been interrogating them but they won't give up the location of the girl."

"The brother has deserted our numbers and the girl – based on your owns observations – has no interest in being rescued," the general replied blithely as he reached from the small flask on his desk. Taking a quick swig, he set it down before folding his arms across his chest and arching a single brow, "Up until this point you have not offered me an opportunity to approach them. You will take me there now."

Blanching slightly, the monk exchanged nervous glances with the other advisors who seemed equally hesitant to allow this to happen. Finally, a very burly man dressed in full samuri gear stepped forward and cleared his throat.

"This is a war, General. They've killed hundreds of us. Kidnapped our wives and daughters. Murdered…" the man began in a heated tone as he squared his shoulder and stared down the irate looking general who raised a single hand to silence him.

"And we've killed hundreds of them," the general interrupted harshly before lowering his hand and sighing, "Release the prisoners. It is war and casualties are to be expected but we cannot bring about peace and prosperity by shedding unnecessary blood. That merely sews the seeds of rebellion."

"But sir," the military adviser scoffed indignantly, "These demons are…"

"Much more like us than you and your rhetoric purport them to be," the general interrupted heatedly, "Now you will take me to these prisoners at once."

"As you wish," the samurai hissed through gritted teeth as he stepped back and waved a single hand, "Right this way."

If the advisers thought that the General was angry before, they were sorely mistaken. The minute the General stepped into the small hut that held them, the second he realized these were children, that they were being tortured and denied medical care, he lost it.

"These are _children_ ," the General bellowed angrily as he pointed to a small girl who looked little more than three years old, " ** _Children_**! Explain yourselves!"

"They are the enemy," the spiritual advisor answered acidly as he stared at the general in disgust, "Whether they are children or not is beside the point."

"It is entirely the point," the general pressed, "These are someone's sons and daughters! They are innocent in all of this!"

"They are half-demons," a small meek looking man piped up as he rolled his eyes and gestured towards a small little boy huddling against the wall with tears streaming down his face, "They have less worth in those demon's eyes than you or I or any human that walks this earth. They have been abandoned."

"That's not true," the littlest girl spoke up shakily as she unsteadily got to her feet and bowed low – her entire tiny frame trembling as she continued – the words spilling out of her mouth in a rush, "Lord Inuyasha saved us. He would _never_ abandon…"

The small girl's words were stolen from her throat when the samurai stepped forward and smack her – hard – across the mouth sending her flying back against the wooden walls. As the child slumped down onto the floor – unconscious and bleeding, the general finally had enough.

"You will release them immediately and withdraw any search parties," the General ordered heatedly, "Anyone who disobeys this order will be executed. Is that understood?"

"Perfectly," the spiritual leader answered as he narrowed his eyes before glancing at the others who nodded once and left the hut without another word. The general's time leading this rebellion was over. Mutiny was afoot.


	47. Not Everything Is About You

"They're gunna kill you the second you step outside. You know that right?" a snarky red headed half-demon sneered as he gave the General an appraising once over, "I can hear what you can't _remember_?"

"My men would never betray me in such a manner. They have more honor than that," the General replied as he narrowed his eyes, "Besides, I have a few questions of my own before I release you."

"Why am I not surprised?" a turqoise headed girl snorted from her place against the wall on the far side of the makeshift prison, "So what shall it be, irons or the rack?"

"Neither," the General sighed heavily before he glanced over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes. For a moment there was a tense silence before he released a shuddering breath and hissed in barely above a whisper, "Are you familiar with the half-demon Ai? She would've been around ten or twelve. Petite, lavender hair, violet eyes?"

"Maybe. Maybe not," the red headed youth clipped acidly as he set his jaw and glared at the middle aged man, "What's it to you?"

"When I was very young, my sister was abducted by a demon in your palace," the General whispered urgently - anxiously glancing over his shoulder before continuing, "Ultimately she was killed. _Brutally_ murdered but not before giving birth to a little girl. I've spent decades trying to find her, saving up so perhaps I could buy her from whatever Lord had her in his possession but...but I understand my efforts were in vain. That she died the same way her mother did."

At least a dozen tiny eyebrows shot into disheveled multicolor hair as they gaped openly at this man who had ordered the massacre of so many. His story was so unlikely, so utterly ridiculous...

Finally the red headed youth spoke up in a slow, deliberate tone as his eyes flashed red, "I'm going to use _small_ words so you understand. You're creative. I'll give you that. But we're not giving up the location of _any_ demon or half-demon. Nice try though. _Excellent_ use of detail."

"So she's alive?" the General breathed as a ghost of a smile played on his lips before his face fell as he muttered more to himself than the others and ran a hand angrily through his hair, "They lied to me. It was all lies. I knew there was something off about them. I just knew it."

As the General continued to mumble angry curses at himself, the tension and unease in the small prison began escalating. Perhaps this man was telling the truth but if so, why...

"If you were looking for the girl, why did you order your men to kill anyone trying to escape? You didn't actually expect her to survive did you?" the turquoise haired boy scoffed incredulously, "And besides, from what the men who've been making our lives a living hell have been saying, you've been looking for your _daughter_! Not some half-demon... _whatever_ the hell she'd be to you."

"Would they have helped if they knew what she truly was?" the General countered hoarsely as he set his jaw and sighed, "And I specifically instructed them to keep casualties to a minimum. They were supposed to attack only those that remained in the palace. The evacuees were to be unharmed."

"And you _still_ don't expect them to kill you," an older looked girl snorted, "Or _us_ for that matter. You started a war of humans against demonkind and yet you actually expected for them to let us go? Are you _stupid_ or something?"

"Perhaps," the General admitted sadly before he turned to address the eldest boy, "You say they're waiting outside to kill me?"

"Yes," the eldest red haired boy began slowly, "Why?"

"Do any of you have any particular skills that would allow you to escape another way?" the General hissed as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Barriers? Invisibility? The ability to walk through walls? Flying?"

"They have the place surrounded," one of the half-demons that had been silent up until this point piped up, "We're outnumbered and trapped. Even if we tried..."

Before the half-demon could finish her thought, several things happened all at once and in rapid succession. First and foremost, a giant explosion shook the very ground and was quickly followed by a ferocious roar. The second was the sounds of flesh being ripped apart and screams of agony erupting from outside. And the third was most shocking of all. There in all the glory of his true form was none other than Lord Sesshomaru.

"What the..." the red haired boy breathed incredulously as he stared up at the massive silver canine who scooped all of them up - sans the General - before turning and fleeing for the hills.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

In the morning, the sun would rise. In the morning, a spell would be cast on a seemingly ordinary necklace that would forever bind him to her. In the morning, there were be new trials. New bodies to bury. New friends to grieve. New misfortunes to bear.

But tonight? Tonight he was hers and she was his and that was all that mattered. Neither of them could remember who made the first move. His tongue repeatedly drove inside her, setting off another shattering moan that was music to his sensitive ears. Such a beautiful instrument to play, so finely tune and if stroked in just the right way...she made the most glorious, raw, intense and absolutely delicious noises of pleasure. Every once in a while she'd grip a fistful of his silver hair to pull him closer as she whispered his name in a soft plea. Something wonderful was building inside her - dancing just out of reach driving her mad with longing...and then he gently slid one finger inside of her, ever mindful of his claws, crooking it ever so and hitting something just the right way.

It had started innocently enough. A simple kiss as they assumed what had become their usual positions to sleep - cocooned in each other's warmth. This time, however, the kiss ignited a flame that encompassed her whole being. Her toes curled, her stomach clenched, her hands moved to make fists in his hair...it was so much more than words could ever truly capture. Inuyasha had seemed similiarly effected as his fingertips moved from their usual safe position into more dangerous territory - skimming up her sides until they reached the underside of her breast. It was then that he had pulled back - his amber eyes dilated fully as they searched hers for permission before gently maneuvering his fingertips with such care, with such love - underneath her kimono exposing her flesh to the night air. His thumb gently caressed her nipple as he mouth crashed down on hers and a pleased groan escaped his throat. His nimble fingers quickly moving to push the kimono aside completely as he ever so gently drug his claws lower and lower - pausing every so often as though expecting her to stop him. With each maddening scrape, the muscles of her stomach cringed in anticipation until stopped just short of their destination.

"We can stop..." Inuyasha panted lightly against her lips before groaning in appreciation when Kagome took his voyaging hand in her and led it home. His touch was so soft, so careful like he thought she might shatter into a million pieces if he applied anything more than the featherlike caresses. Kagome for her part felt like crying - not from pain or even fear - but from the earthshattering realization that this...this right here is what love should be. One finger ever so gently, so _maddeningly_ , began tracing the sensitive nerves as he stifled a moan and rested his forehead against hers before plundering her mouth with his own. It wasn't until he cried out softly when he dared dip a single digit into her that Kagome was pulled from her euphoric haze and realized that she too had permission to touch him whichever way she pleased.

Kagome could live a hundred lifetimes and never forget the way his eyes fluttered closed, the way his mouth hung slightly open in a silent scream before an utterly erotic moan escaped his throat when she wormed her fingers beneath the fabric of his hakama. She'd touched him before, yes, but this was an entirely different experience. And just like that his lips were feverishly against hers. He didn't even bother to remove his hungry mouth from her as he began ridding himself of his clothing - impressively fast considering how his fingers were trembling - before making quick work of the flimsy kimono his miko was wearing as well. As soon as they were both naked as the day they were born, he pulled her to him - both of them issuing a soft moan at the feel of the skin on skin contact - before Inuyasha pulled away once more to look deep into her eyes.

"Do you...do you want..." Inuyasha managed to stutter - trying miserably to dampen down his own lust in favor of not ruining the progress his miko had made over the past year- he eyes searching hers for confirmation before taking it any further, "We can stop if you want."

"No we can't," Kagome cooed as she reached up and pulled him down on top of her fully - his hips falling where nature intended them before he adjusted himself so the danger of accidentally slipping in was lessened. His body molded against hers so perfectly - creating a delicious friction even as he began kissing his way down her jaw, generously worshipping each breast, kissing softly a direct trail down to...

"You need to _breathe_ , Kagome," Inuyasha managed to chuckle shakily as he glanced up at her from his place just above her navel before he added softly as he nuzzled her stomach with his nose, "And just _relax_. It's going to be okay. You're beautiful. So...so beautiful."

Before Kagome could stop him, before it dawned on her what he intended to do, his tongue was suddenly stroking her in long, slow licks, curling tenderly at the hard center of her pleasure center and her entire body arched into his...ah...so very talented mouth. Not caring if the action might be called wanton. It was beyond merely wanting this to continue. She needed it to. A single digit slipped inside, then another and her hips pressed down to take more of him into her, to bring him deeper into her and then...

Her mouth fell open in a silent scream that trailed off into a soft cry as her body contracted wildly and sensations she never knew existed soaring through her veins. It was glorious. Such a pure sensation...pure pleasure, pure bliss...pure love. As she opened her eyes, she couldn't help but feel like her moment of peace was slightly ruined by how entirely smug he looked in that moment.

"See? Experience pays off now doesn't it?" he teased before his face fell and his eyes widened in horror at the realization that he had just made a very fatal mistake. Propping herself up on her elbows, Kagome gaped at him for a moment before making a great showing of thrusting her arms through the sleeves of her discarded kimono. Inuyasha for his part was entirely panicked and quickly tried to still her when he noticed - too late - the mischievous glint in her eyes. In one swift motion, he found himself on his back with Kagome straddling his thighs with a smug look of her own. Frozen and torn between moving and merely waiting to see how this played out, Inuyasha watched Kagome with cautious optimism before his eyes fluttered shut and a sharp gasp escaped his throat when her soft... _ah_...so very talented fingers began stroking him at just the right pace to bring him to completion. Several soft cries escaped his lips and his claws dug into the poor wooden floors as she worked him. Then she stopped. She stopped! But she was...

Whatever his mind had conjured up was quickly wiped from his mind as her warm, _ah_ , so warm and velvety mouth enveloped him. She caressed him, encircled him, elicited several moans of ' _harder_ ' and _'like that'_ until the dam within his being burst forth and his release raced through him before he could think to warn her. Panting heavily, he stared sheepishly up at her as she looked wildly around for somewhere to spit out the mouthful he'd given her. Chuckling despite himself, Inuyasha couldn't help but feel the entire situation was rather endearing. He was surprised that she even considered doing such a thing so he wasn't going to force her to swallow his...his... _release_.

"Just spit it out if it tastes that bad," Inuyasha snickered as Kagome turned a deep crimson and quickly made her way to the door to do so. The poor little miko was blushing so furiously that he mused it looked like she might combust at any moment.

"It's not...it's not that..." Kagome stuttered awkwardly as her blush deepened further still - a fact Inuyasha would've sworn couldn't be possible, "You...you did for me and I...I didn't..."

"I'm not mad," Inuyasha snickered as he reached up and pulled her down to him - brushing a few stray hairs behind her ear as he led her back to his side and gently kissed her cheek, "In fact it's quite the...the..."

His ability to speak was suddenly stolen from him as Kagome discovered certain portions of his anatomy were still standing at attention. Closing his eyes, his chest heaved erratically as he tried to mumble half-heartedly that it wasn't necessary to do more for him.

"Not everything is about you. This is for me," Kagome teased as she gently pushed him onto his back and once again straddled his thighs - both of them moaning softly as she gently slid onto him until he was fully sheathed inside of her. Slowly his upward thrusts began to increase in tempo as she rode him - her hands pressed against his chest to give her momentum. Their bodies slickened with sweat as their efforts turned more desperate - each striving to reach that high until they fell over that cliff together. Two hearts. Beating as one.

"God I love you. Now I'm really never letting you go," Inuyasha panted shakily as Kagome collapsed beside him and gave him a silly sated grin, "Not now. Not ever. They're gunna have to rip you from my cold, dead hands and even then."

"Sounds fair," Kagome mumbled warmly as exhaustion consumed her and she moved to snuggle into his embrace, "There's no place I'd rather be than right here with you."

With this final action, the lingering scars that had been placed on her heart faded away and for the first time in so long, she felt like life was going to be alright after all.


	48. I'll Drink to That

He was not made for this type of weather, he decided. Not at all. It must have been the altitude that started it because there was _no_ other plausible reason it should be snowing this much in the early fall. It wasn't easy either. It seemed like everyone else has someone to huddle next to for warmth or were just naturally better equipped to handle this type of weather. He was a boy who had never lived anywhere besides the coast. It got cold there. That much _was_ true. That being said it wasn't this bitter cold and there most certainly wasn't a biting wind or blizzards that left feet of snow or…or…

"I wonder if Kagome and Inuyasha would let me cuddle with them," Sota chuckled lightly to himself as he shivered and an amused playful grin played on his lips, "I can just see her face. That would not…"

"Hey, Soten," a soft male voice suddenly hissed from just outside the entry way, "You decent?"

"It's _Sota_ , not _Soten_. Who are you?" Sota replied as he tried to sit a little closer to the fire and wrapped the blanket he'd been provided a little more tightly around his body, "Either way, get in here. It's too cold to be standing out there."

"Oh good," came a relieved chuckle as a man with thick black hair entered in carrying a small white haired woman in his arms who he looked down upon with a wicked smile as his continued, "She's been badgering me that she wants to meet you for the past two weeks."

"Have not," the white haired….no translucent haired girl clipped back sheepishly, "I just was saying I thought it would be nice to get to know him better."

"Who are you again?" Sota asked as he arched a single brow and his lips twitched upwards, "Not to be rude but…"

"I'm Ginta and this is my, uh, mate Shiori," the black haired man answered awkwardly as he arranged himself by the fire and turned the woman to sit comfortably in his lap facing the boy, "Shiori was Inuyasha's head of house and I'm the first born heir to the House of Ketsueki. Well I was. I doubt very much that means anything now."

"I didn't realize that lords married underneath their station so often," Sota commented thoughtfully as he cocked his head to the side, "That would never happen in the human world."

"Um, so normally we _don't_ ," Ginta answered awkwardly as his cheeks flush a light pink that had nothing to do with the cold, "But I, um, imprinted on her and that transcends tradition."

"What did your parents say?" Sota asked curiously, "Were they pleased or…"

"They were very pleased that I finally took a mate," Ginta chuckled lightheartedly, "They were getting concerned I never chased after women."

"Are they here?" Sota asked quietly as the soft smile on his face suddenly fell, "Or…"

"They arrived a few days ago," Ginta responded with a sad sigh as he rested his chin atop Shiori's head, "They had a hell of a time getting here but apparently I'm the male left. The rest of my brothers were…were killed in the battle."

"How many?" Sota gasped quietly as he gaped at the man who was suddenly vacantly looking into space, "All of them? Are you sure?"

"I have…. _had_ three brothers and four sisters," Ginta replied softly as he pulled Shiori a little tighter to him, "Father saw them fall."

"Did they have children?" Sota asked as his heart plummeted to the bottom of his stomach, "Or…or mates?"

"My sisters are in the mountains nearby but will make the journey here soon," Ginta sighed wearily, "All the children are there too. There have been many search parties and they're getting too close to the den. It seems most of the evacuees and tribes will be making the journey here soon as well. Several tribes have already been decimated. Demon kind is steadily becoming extinct. All in less than a month."

"How will they get here? That surely _isn't_ safe, especially with children," Sota responded hoarsely as his stomach churned angrily, "I mean, is there an escort or…"

"Kagome, Inuyasha and I are going to escort them as Shiori is still injured. We leave the day after tomorrow," Ginta replied awkwardly before nuzzling Shiori's head and laughing, "This one here wants to come but she's still recovering."

"I'd be fine. I've already told you I don't need to be carried everywhere," Shiori huffed in exasperation as she folded her arms across her chest and pouted, "My wounds healed over a week ago."

"Well you say that but you passed out yesterday," came Ginta's teasing ascent, "Bat demons take longer to recover than most and you little missy are going to stay put."

"So why did you want to meet me?" Sota asked trying to quickly change the conversation before a fight broke out, "I'm quite ordinary."

"Well, you're Kagome's little brother," Shiori responded as she met his eyes with a sad smile playing on her lips, "And from what I hear your other sister is the one causing all of this. I wanted to hear it from you."

"Ah, you want to know what happened," Sota chuckled bitterly as he pulled the blanket tightly around him and took a shuddering breath, "My sister, Kikyo, died in Kagome's stead when they were first taken. I was the one who buried her, who found her corpse. A few months later my father decided that my mother was forfeit as well so…so I killed him. My mother then killed herself by jumping off a cliff. I went to pay my final respects to Kikyo's grave before I set out to find Kagome and…and then the rest is a blur. Kikyo never _really_ returned. Only her anger and bitterness against all living things. At first, I believe her goal truly was to find Kagome as was mine so I didn't fight her but then she began…she began _doing_ things. Fanning the sparks of rebellion until they became a mighty flame. It was no longer about Kagome and when I finally managed to take control it was too late. All this death and destruction was my fault. If I had been stronger…"

"I'm going to stop you there," Shiori interrupted angrily as she narrowed her eyes and pointed an accusatory finger at the young boy, "This isn't your fault or even Kikyo's. There were bad demons who had been taking advantage of young women and servants for _decades_. The war was inevitable whether or not you or your sister got involved."

"A lot of the death is on my hands though. Many of your comrades were killed because I wasn't strong enough to throw her off," Sota replied dejectedly as he stared at the fire like it was the most interesting thing he'd ever seen, "I imagine she's out there now trying to do something to wipe all of us off the map and there is no one strong enough to fight her. Not anymore."

"Bullshit," Shiori snorted as she gave the young boy a stern glance and snuggled deeper into Ginta's embrace, "We'll persevere and she'll be put to rest but if you think that way, neither will happen. You need to stay strong. We all do."

"Yes but…" Sota began anxiously as he gave them both an imploring glance, "I just…"

"You just nothing," Shiori clipped before chuckling lightly and reaching for a small bag that Sota hadn't noticed initially, "Now if we're all done being depressing I've brought a peace offering. Demon grade sake. It's not what you might be accustomed to. Tends to have a more psychotropic effect than human sake."

"I've never had sake so I wouldn't know," Sota chuckled nervously as he stared at the jug that Shiori was holding happily in her lap, "Besides I really shouldn't…"

"It's cold and this will warm us all up," Shiori announced proudly as Ginta rolled his eyes and Sota cringed, "You'll see. A few sips of this and you'll feel more confident in no time."

"I have a very important task I have to do tomorrow," Sota protested weakly as he sent Ginta pleading glance, " I really can't…"

"Just drink it," Shiori snorted as she produced three cups, poured the boy a cup, "Believe me. This will calm your nerves."

Bowing to the peer pressure, Sota took the cup and drank as Ginta and Shiori did the same. And that's when the real fun began.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The snow was piling up outside but neither occupant paid it any mind. The rest of the world could burn for all they cared as they lay there in each other's embrace content for the moment just to hold one another and not quite yet ready to do anything that would involve moving from the position…

Well….

Sitting bolt upright, Miroku's nose seemed to be working in overdrive as a somewhat crazed grin broke out on his face and he beamed down at the half-asleep baku as he exclaimed excitedly, "I smell _sake_."

"You smell _what_?" Sango mumbled tiredly as pulled weakly at his robes and groaned, "Come back to bed. It's too cold."

"Um, _excuse_ me but when will I _ever_ be able to taste the finest sake known to demonkind again? For all I know this is the last bottle in existence!" Miroku whispered excitedly as he reached over and grabbed his outer clothing and hurriedly began to haphazardly throw it on, "Come on. Don't you want to see who has it?"

"I don't smell anything," Sango huffed exasperatedly as she tried to burrow further under the covers they'd been provided, "Just come back…"

"Um, water, snow and ice are my element. I can smell everything as clearly as ever and I smell sake," Miroku chirped happily as he yanked the covers off Sango who whined in protest, "Come on now! They might drink it all up before we even get ready."

"You don't even know who has it!" Sango hissed as she blindly reached for the blanket, "Some great sense of smell you have. Seems like you have selective…"

"I think its Ginta, Shiori and that boy," Miroku giggled somewhat manically before his smile faltered and he gave her a reassuring smile, "I mean, I know you don't get along with Shiori but…but _sake_."

"You have a problem," Sango snorted as she rolled her eyes and begrudgingly gathered up her outer clothes, "Fine. We'll go see if your nose really is sharp as you think it is."

"Yes, thank you!" Miroku breathed happily as he wrapped his arms around Sango and nearly squealed from excited as he grabbed her hand and began dragging her out into the storm, "Now come on! Hurry now!"

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

"So tell me," Ginta slurred slightly as he gave the young human a lopsided grin, "What is this big thing you got going on tomorrow that is so damn important?"

"Gotta do a spell," Sota hiccupped as he took another sip and rolled his eyes, "I don't wanna but I gotta."

"You've said that but what type of spell is it though?" Ginta pressed as Shiori watched on with keen interest, "I mean, is it like _protective_ or…"

"Not gunna tell you," Sota sing-songed in reply, "That's between me, Kagome and Inuyasha."

" _Ohhhhh_ so they're involved _toooo_ ," Shiori crooned as a grin spread over her lips and she prodded the young boy playfully with her finger, "Come on. Just tell us. You can trust us I _promise_."

"I mean…." Sota began before the hut door was throw open and a jovial shout filled the room, " ** _SAKE_**! I TOLD YOU! THEY'E GOT AT LEAST THREE BOTTLES! OH MY FUCKING…"

" _Wait, wait,_ _wait_. This isn't for you," Ginta scolded sloppily as he grabbed the nearest bottle and cradled it against his chest, "This is like…the only…okay not the only but this is like…"

"Shhhh, he was gunna tell us," Shiori shushed him as she waved her hand in front of her mate's face and gave Sota a very doe eyed pleading look, "You were gunna tell us, right?"

"Uh…I….uh…." Sota stuttered awkwardly as he looked at the two newcomers, "I mean…they told me not to tell."

"Who we gunna tell?" Ginta chirped excitedly as he produced two more cups and poured generous amounts of sake into them. Handing them to the two newcomers, he turned his attention back to the boy, "Come on. Spit it out boy."

"I will not break sister's trust. Well…if I had any that is…" Sota mumbled miserably as he knocked back the last of his sake and held out his cup with a thoughtful look on his face, "Okay so, um, there is this friend and…"

"Is he still using that line?" Sango suddenly giggled as she rolled her eyes and waved idly at nothing while taking a giant swig that had Miroku giving her an adoring yet proud grin, "No. No continue."

"Okay…so this friend…" Sota slurred slowly as though trying very hard to phrase things careful, "This friend has _problems_."

" _So_ many," Shiori snorted as she sent Sango a wicked and knowing grin that was returned, "Anyway….so these problems. What are they?"

"So, uh….this friend, um…wants me to, uh…put a spell on him that, _um_ , will let, _uh_ , certain people control him if he gets out of hand," Sota finished lamely as he knocked back the last of this cup and held it out unsteadily, "So I gotta get it ready."

"It? So it's a thing?" Miroku commented knowingly as he began glancing around the hut, "It is a thing, right?"

"Maybe," Sota replied as his lips twitched upward. The dragon and baku were clearly trying their very best to get on their peers level and it was amusing to watch. Finally, Sango gasped and held her hand to her chest, "The third pair of beads!"

Paling visibly, Sota stared at the baku incredulously before following her line of vision to the table and groaning, "Yeah. Third pair of beads."

"He wants you to put those fucking things on him?!" Sango exclaimed angrily as she furrowed her brow and gave the boy an irate glare, "You're not going to do it, right?"

"I'm changing the nature of the spell," Sota protested meekly as he scooted back several feet, "It'll only work for Kagome. Promise."

"So what'll it do?" Shiori asked curiously as she shakily got to her feet and drunkenly toddled over to pick up the beads, "They look ordinary to me."

"It'll, um, subdue him," Sota mumbled awkwardly as he scratched the back of his neck, "But I don't think…"

"Subdue him? How?" Ginta asked curiously as he got to his feet and staggered over to his mate to look at the necklace himself before he began cackling like mad, "Oh my god, it's a _necklace_. He's gunna wear a necklace all the time. That's _hilarious_."

"It's not that funny," Shiori commented drunkenly as she turned slowly and held them up, "So these things will subdue him? How?"

"Okay so I was thinking that it'd make him stop doing bad things," Sota replied as though it was the most ingenious thing he'd ever said, "He'll just _stop_."

"How though?" Miroku commented curiously as he arched a single brow, "Like…paralyze him?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Sota commented hotly before blanching and turning his attention back to his drink, "Never done it before and not like I can practice on anyone."

"I wanna try it!" Ginta suddenly exclaimed as he ripped the beads out of Shiori's hand and thrust them over his head before turning a drunken smile on Sota, "What happens now?"

"So, um, I was thinking that, uh….I don't know," Sota mumbled awkwardly as his shoulders sagged in defeat, "That's why I wanted to get up early tomorrow."

"What if…now hear me out…what if he…he like trades places with her," Miroku slurred as the effects of the sake began fully taking effect, "Like you could control our minds at will, right, when you had…had the beads so why…why couldn't it be like their minds swap?"

"What the fuck would be the point in that?" Sango snorted as she rolled her eyes and smacked the dragon upside the head, "That's…"

"Oh my god, yes," Sota suddenly exclaimed as he turned his attention back to Ginta and staggered to his feet as well, "We need a trigger word to practice. Anyone?"

"How about….sake?" Shiori commented thoughtfully as she moved to sit back down and picked up her glass, "I mean you can take them off, right?"

"Yeah," Sota nodded before closing his eyes and murmuring an incantation sloppily. The beads glowed for but a moment and then…

"Sake," Sota commanded at which point Ginta slammed hard onto the ground with a painful sounding thud as Sota cried out in shock, "Shit! I'm sorry! I thought…"

"That….that was **_awesome_**!" Ginta cackled from his place in the dirt, "I couldn't even fight it! Oh my god, that's hilarious. Oh my fucking god."

"Not that funny," Shiori murmured playfully as her eyes sparkled, "Anyway, so were you trying to switch minds or…"

"I mean…I'm not like…one hundred percent sure how this works," Sota admitted sheepishly, "But maybe we just leave it like this? I mean switching minds…like what if they like…I dunno. I think that would end badly."

"Everything has the possibility to end badly," Miroku slurred wisely as he chewed the inside of his cheek before he grinned and bellowed "SAKE! Wait, oh god dammit!"

Nothing happened and everyone in the hut immediately burst into riotous laughter. Tears streamed down their faces as they moved on to other subjects and other tests. Finally, by the time they passed out, they'd performed the different test on everyone in the hut – save Shiori- and the spell currently on the beads that once again lay on the table would be a mystery until the morning.


	49. Some Things I Don't Want to Know

Dawn came far too early for his liking as he sighed and pulled Kagome's naked body closer to his own. Today was going to be too busy to indulge in anything more than what they had shared last night, but to be honest, he'd be content lying about doing nothing all day. After all, they were going to have to leave to escort a neighboring tribe tomorrow and as much as he was against it, Kagome had insisted on accompanying him.

Sighing once more, he gently buried his nose in her ebony locks and inhaled deeply as his eyes fluttered closed. She was his in every sense of the word now. The only thing left to do would be to bestow her with an impress but that could wait until they were out of danger. There was still her crazy undead sister running around doing god knows what and there was a war waging in the distance just begging to start the fight anew here. Still, this moment in the early morning light, with her tucked securely against him and the scent of their union permeating the air, he felt perfectly content.

"I don't care if I imprinted on you or not," he murmured quietly to himself – being careful to speak softly enough not to wake her as his grip incrementally tightened around her waist, "You're everything I ever wanted but never knew I needed and now you're mine. Truly mine and no one else's."

"Well someone is being possessive," came a groggy, amusement laced whisper as Kagome yawned and snuggled deeper into his embrace, "I'm nobody's property. I'm my own woman."

"I know," Inuyasha chuckled lightly as he buried his face into her shoulder and placed a loving kiss at the nape of her neck, "But you're mine though. My Kagome."

"Your Kagome," the former miko affirmed sleepily happily as she drifted off once more, "My Inuyasha."

"Your Inuyasha," he chuckled affectionately as he allowed himself to drift off with her before his eyes shot wide open when she next spoke.

"I still don't understand why you love me," Kagome admitted shyly as she maneuvered out of his hold and turned to face him, "I mean, you've been so kind to me. A friend when I had none and…and you've helped me so much. I understand why I love you but I don't understand why you love me. Is it just instinct?"

"Not this again," Inuyasha chuckled good naturedly as he reached over to gently move some hair out of her face and tucked it securely behind her ear before admitting thoughtfully, "At first it was but as time went on, it became so much more than that. If anything, my love for you got stronger."

"But you never saw me," Kagome sighed wearily as she bit her lip for a moment before continuing, "And…and we weren't together very long."

"And you took care of me when I was dying. You saved me too you know," Inuyasha pointed out as he gave her a warm affectionate smile, "You don't think any differently of me or any of the other half-demons even though you have every reason to hate demons. You have a large, forgiving heart. You are able to look past what bad demons did to you and persevere."

"Yeah, I locked myself in a room for almost a _year_ ," Kagome snorted as she rolled her eyes and huffed, "That's preserving alright."

"You're not in that room anymore. You came back to me with a whole stack of paper in which you responded to each and every one of my letters," Inuyasha countered as his eyes sparkled happily, "You protected people when I wasn't able to do so and you didn't even think twice about it. You're so strong and so brave. I love that about you."

"A lot of them still died," Kagome sighed sadly as she furrowed her brow in pain, "I couldn't protect them all."

"No one expected you to but you tried your best," Inuyasha countered with a heavy sigh, "And what's one woman against an entire army and a crazed angry spirit hell bent on revenge?"

"I guess," Kagome murmured as she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, "Just worry about it. You loving me I mean. I just want something to be real for once."

"It is real," Inuyasha soothed as he drew her to his chest and buried his nose in her hair, "I love you for you. I love that you want to fight by my side. That you are able to forgive and look past appearances. That you're a survivor. That you have a temper to rival mine. That you're strong and brave. That you have a wicked, dry sense of humor. I love the way you want to help everyone. That you're so selfless that you would gladly give up your life to save another's. Not that I'd ever let you do that but I admire the fact that you would. I love all of you."

"So why did you imprint on me? Maybe we would've fallen in love without that," Kagome's muffled voice reached his ears, "What about me made you imprint?"

"The world may never know," he teased playfully as he moved to nibble on her ear, "You know, it's still early. We could…. _you know_ …."

"Could we now?" Kagome giggled before moaning softly as he raked his claws lightly up her body and continued his assault on her ear, "We're _supposed_ to meet Sota at daybreak. We're probably already late."

"Nah, I can smell the sake coming from that hut. We've got until noon at least," he responded playfully as he pulled back and captured her lips before she had a chance to follow that statement up with some type of curse, "Besides, it's snowing outside. Don't you want me to warm you up?"

"I can't believe he drank sake. He's not….he's not old enough. Besides, you could just light a fire," Kagome whispered against his lips as she slid her hand down his bare chest, "Or we could just put on clothes."

"Don't worry about him and we've got about five blankets in here. We don't need a fire," Inuyasha teased as he began to pant lightly and his kisses became more primal before he murmured playfully against her lips, "I mean, there's all sorts of…"

Giggling slightly, Kagome cut him off by sealing his mouth with a passionate kiss, her hips moving against him, knowing in her heart that this was how love was supposed to be and that no harm of _that_ kind would ever befall her again.

"Just shut up," Kagome panted as she pulled back, "We've got a years' worth of lost time to make up, don't we? The fire can wait."

Smirking slightly, Inuyasha pulled back and nuzzled her nose before gently guiding her onto her back and settling between her legs, "Couldn't agree more. I thought I was going to have to beg."

"The mighty Inuyasha begging. What has the world come to?" Kagome teased back as she beamed up at him with unmistakable love shining through her eyes, "And here I was thinking you held all the power."

"Nah, you've got me wrapped around your little finger," Inuyasha murmured playfully as he lay flush against her – knowing how powerless she had felt and how the agency had been stripped from her. He wanted her to feel powerful. To feel loved. And, of course, for her to relax dammit she was going to kill him. As he rocked his hips against her and they became one, he managed to whisper shakily, "You're the one in complete control and I love that."

The lingering pain from that day now just a distant memory, the scars that had prevented her from taking further fading she had once endured, and nothing, absolutely nothing in this world, felt as good as the sensation of him slowly sliding into her.

"'Are you all right?' he asked quietly as he lowered himself almost flush against her and rested his forehead against hers. He sounded as if he was holding himself in check, as if it took all of his will to do so.

"I'm perfect," Kagome responded happily as she captured his lips once more and sighed, "Absolutely perfect."

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Oh god, what _happened_?" Sota groaned from his place on the cold dirt floor – the ashes from the fire only inches from his face and the smell of rot gut permeated the room. Sitting up, he winced as the wind hissed through a few open slits in the doorway making his head feel like it was going to split open. The light outside literally felt like an inferno of death against his eyes and every part of his body ached. Glancing around, he noted several other warm bodies in the hut with him – all cuddled against each other for warmth. For a moment, he felt a pang of jealously before quickly shaking it off and turning his attention back to the beads….which were currently with one of the others.

"Oh god, what did we do?" Sota groaned again as he staggered to his feet and made his way towards the beads being held securely in the translucent haired demon's hand. Gently prying her fingers open, he took them from her before snorting when her only response was a slightly furrowing of her brow and a slight groan. Sighing heavily, he turned the beads this way and that before his shoulders sagged in defeat.

"God, I can't remember what we landed on," Sota moaned as he plopped down on the ground and buried his face in one hand, "For all I know this'll turn him into a frog."

"I think it does something we all agreed was a hilarious idea," Miroku suddenly groaned as he pushed himself up and blinked lazily at the boy, "Which probably is not good. Is there any way to remove the spell?"

"If we want to go back to square one," Sota groaned as he cringed and held up the beads, "Doesn't anyone remember what we did?"

"Not a clue," Ginta murmured wearily as he reached blindly for Shiori who had rolled away from him sometime in the night before finding her and pulling her gently towards him, "Just let me sleep and you guys figure it out."

"This isn't good," Sango suddenly gasped as she turned guilty eyes towards the door, "Inuyasha is headed this way and his aura is mad as hell."

"Can't be that mad," Miroku chuckled lecherously as he sent Sango a wicked grin, "I can smell what you can't. Someone has been…"

"Finish that sentence and I'll kick your ass," Inuyaha huffed from just outside the door, "Ain't none of your business."

Sango cowered guiltily as Inuyasha entered the hut and sent her a disappointed glance before walking straight up to Sota and smacking him none to gently upside the head, "You dumbass. What were you thinking? That was demon grade sake kid! Could've killed you."

"That hurt!" Sota grumbled as he rubbed the sore spot on his already sore head that now felt like it'd ben split open, "Why the hell did you have to hit so hard?"

"Wasn't all that hard," Inuyasha huffed before lolling his head towards Sango with an accusatory glare, "Now _you_ have some explaining to do."

"Me?! What about everyone else?!" Sango snapped back defensively, "It wasn't even my idea!"

"You're supposed to be the responsible one," Inuyasha growled as he marched over and towered over the baku, "Instead, I find you out here getting just as drunk as the rest of them and with a _child_ no less!"

"Fuck you! Don't put this on me!" Sango quipped back angrily, "He's old enough and has seen enough to make his own decisions!"

"Fuck you right back! You're usually the one who keeps everyone in line and here I find you all hungover," Inuyasha groaned exasperatedly, "Talk about irresponsible! There's a shit ton of priests out there waiting to kill us and some crazy bitch spirit thing! Not to mention…"

"Now, now Inuyasha," Miroku suddenly interjected with a wicked grin, "Let's talk about responsibility in times such as these. Not exactly a world to bring a child into, now is it?"

Blushing a deep shade of crimson, Inuyasha opened his mouth to retort when Sango suddenly gasped and devolved into a fit of giggles, "And you're lecturing us about responsibility and you…oh my god."

"Hey! It's not like she's in heat right now!" Inuyasha protested, "Fuck you Sango! I didn't knock her up! I was being responsible! Besides you know how long I've been wanting…"

" ** _Lalalala_** ," Sota suddenly interjected loudly as he slammed his hands over his ears, "I don't want to know! Please stop talking about this!"

"Oh grow up," Inuyasha snapped in general at everyone, "You guys can try to turn this around on me all you want but in the end, you're the ones who were dumbasses."

"Can you all stop yelling?" Ginta groaned lazily as he pulled the still sleeping Shiori against his chest and settled down, "Some of us are trying to sleep."

"I'm sorry," Inuyasha snarled sarcastically as he set his jaw and gave the exhausted wolf a side-eyed glare, "Were we being too _loud_ for your hungover ass?"

"You know, whatever spell is on those beads," Ginta mumbled tiredly as he cracked open one eye and gave Inuyasha a wicked grin, "I hope it kicks your ass."

"What do you mean _whatever_ spell?!" Inuyasha bellowed incredulously before his mouth popped open and he glared at Sota, "You told them?!"

"Okay, to be fair," Sota began awkwardly as he held the beads up, "They all were very helpful in, um, being test subjects for different spells. I'm not…"

Blanching slightly as Sango shook her head and made a shut up movement with her hands, Sota cleared his throat and changed gears, "I'm not sure that Kagome will want to put them on you given the, uh, new circumstances of your relationship."

"Nice try but I know that's bullshit," Inuyasha snapped as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "Tell me what they do."

"Um, so here's the thing," Sota began slowly as his mind raced a mile a minute to come up with a plausible excuse, "The beads effect everyone differently. We'll see their effect on you when we put them on."

"That so?" Inuyasha responded blithely, "I thought you'd said it'd give Kagome control. Is that not true?"

"It is," Sota responded deliberately as his eyes met Sango's with a silent plea for backup, "But the reaction for everyone is different."

"It's true," Sango piped up before elbowing Miroku in the ribs to get him to nod his head and hum affirmatively, "It did different things to all of us."

"Fuck you Sango. You've always been a terrible liar," Inuyasha snorted as he glanced over his shoulder and rolled his eyes, "Obviously you guys did something when you were wasted and now you don't know what the hell they do."

"Fuck you right back! How do you know I'm lying?" Sango countered with a faint blush on her cheeks, "I'm an excellent liar."

"Bullshit," Inuyasha responded blithely before turning back to Sota and folding his arms across his chest, "Well come on. Let's see what your drunk ass minds came up with and we'll go from there."


	50. I'll Be Damned

From within the small hut where they'd all convened to watch the completely unknown effect of the beads, there was no sound except the whistling of the blizzard raging outside. Kagome spoke the word. One minute passed. Then two. Then around the fifth minute of that awkward heavy silence hanging so thick in the air it could be cut with a knife was suddenly broke by a fit of giggles and an exasperated snarl.

"Nothing happened you drunken assholes!" Inuyasha barked angrily as he turned to face them and bared this fangs, "You idiots forgot to put a stupid spell on this shit! What the literal fuck were you guys thinking?!"

"To be fair…" Miroku interjected calmly as he arched a single brow and sighed, "It did _something_."

"Like hell it did! I feel exactly the same!" Inuyasha hissed before huffing in frustration and turning on Sota, "You irresponsible little shit! You had one job! One! And you can't even…"

A derisive snort had him trailing off and turning an irate glare towards the offending party. Namely Ginta who was merely grinning at him like a Chesire Cat from his place against the wall with a very chagrined Shiori in his lap.

"You got some complaint?" Inuyasha growled as he set his jaw and bared his fangs when Ginta merely gave him a bemused smile, "Well?!"

"I mean, we could've had it slam you to the ground or make your dick fall off," the wolf demon pointed out in a far too amused tone for Inuyasha's liking, "Or could've given Kagome mind control powers over you. All I'm saying is could've been worse."

"Because you're a bunch of _drunken_ **_assholes_**!" Inuyasha clipped back tersely as he whipped his gaze towards Sota once more, "Now you! Here we are trying to give you a fucking chance to prove yourself and all you've done is prove you're an _irresponsible_ , _untrustworthy_ little..."

"Your eye is a different color," Kagome interrupted with a soft gasp before walking over and cupped his face to make him look at her, "and you have a black streak in your hair."

As his mismatched eyes met hers, they widened in understanding as he realized she too had one amber eye and one blue. Upon further examination, he realized – far too slowly - that she had a white stripe in her hair that framed her face and in fact, her scent had shifted ever so slightly to mimic his own.

" _What the hell_ ," Inuyasha breathed anxiously as he furrowed his brow and turned his gaze upon Sota, "What is this?"

"So, uh, it appears…" the young man began nervously as he glanced at his accomplices in a silent plea for salvation, "That you, um, exchanged energy. She received some of your youkai and you received some of her spiritual power so you, um, are more balanced."

"And that does what _exactly_ to fix this shit?!" Inuyasha barreled onward – his frustration blocking out reason as he continued, "Now I just look weird as hell and she…"

"Inuyasha, stop it," Kagome chided gently as she laid a single hand on his arm and squeezed, "It means that whenever you lose control, my energy will allow your usual self to take control again. Right now it does nothing except changing outward appearances because you're already in control."

"Exactly," Sota agreed with a soft sigh of relief as he gave his sister a tentative, sheepish smile before looking back at Inuyasha who still look mad enough to strike him, "So, um, there you go. Problem solved. It'll balance you if, uh, something happens."

"You drunk assholes are lucky that's _all_ it does! For all you knew I could've been a mindless freak!" Inuyasha snarled as he turned an angry glare onto the quieter than normal Sango, "If I ever find your ass doing something that reckless again, I'll brain you."

"Again, why the hell are you turning this back on me?! It worked didn't it?" Sango clipped back tersely as she sent him back an equally venomous glare, "Besides, doesn't it…."

The entire ground shook angrily making all the occupants stumble to regain their footing as Kagome paled and turned wide, frightened eyes towards the door. A few moments later yet another unexpected tremor rocked the hard ground and a ferocious roar reverberated over the unforgiving storm that had all the demons in the vicinity openly gaping at one another in disbelief.

"So that bastard lived did he?" Inuyasha finally scoffed derisively as he scowled, "That idiot probably led them right to us too. He's gotta be in his true form and even in this storm that's something big enough to follow."

Another tremor rocked the ground and even over the storm, several screams of distress could be heard alongside the clanking of weapons.

"Oh god dammit, let me go see what the bastard wants," Inuyasha groaned before pausing and glancing back at Kagome, "Say the word again. Don't want to have him see me like this. Could be bad."

"Of course," the miko responded sheepishly as she gave him a reassuring smile and whispered the word. In an instant, the changes faded until both parties looked like their usual selves. Nodding once in affirmation, Inuyasha began to move again before he paused before the door once more and turned to face his love, "Don't follow me. Stay put. I don't know what he's gunna do."

"Like hell I'm letting you go face him alone!" Kagome clipped back angrily as she placed her hands firmly on her hip and stomped her foot, "For all you know he's wanting to take out his frustration on you!"

"I'll go," Sango offered as she placed a hand on her friend's shoulder and gave her an empathetic smile, "Besides, I doubt Sesshomaru would do anything that reckless. Not with this being the primary outpost."

"Well are you coming or not?" Inyasha snapped as he reached over and grabbed her sword, "He'll alert the entire fucking mountain if he keeps at it. Get a move on."

"Fuck you. I'm coming," Sango huffed as she rolled her eyes and moved to follow him, "Why are you always so reckless? For all you know, he's here to kill you."

"Fuck you right back. I'm not reckless, I use my brain and I know he's not stupid enough to try to kill me right now," Inuyasha bit back as he smirked and laughed outright as Sango snorted and quipped back, "You're full of shit. You're reckless _and_ impulsive but I hope you're right so I don't have to tell you I told you so."

"You'd just love that wouldn't you? Well not all of us can be as full of shit as _you_. Your hair and eyes are brown from it leaking outta ya," Inuyasha responded as he bit back a grin. The sounds of their petty and half-hearted argument carried as they left the hut and ventured towards the edge of the village to confront the once powerful daiyoukai and see what the hell he was even doing there.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

They appeared to be human. _Appeared_ being the operative word. Human they might have been at one time but now and forever more they were a veritable army of the undead created to obey orders for even the most unconscionable acts. Merely expendable weapons on legs, as robotized as it is possible for a human to be and still keep moving forward. It was their stench that gave them away and exposed what they truly were. An army of the undying.

Leading them was a grotesque figure with blood red eyes and skin that bubbled angrily. Footprints clearly marked with what could only be blood trailed behind it as it marched forward leading its army towards the fortress in the mountains. It was only due to his own inhuman speed that he was able to pass by them without incident – his precious cargo being none the wise as they remained secure in his mouth.

He had stopped once and only once on his journey. The scent of his injured ward drawing him off course. It had taken longer than he'd like to admit to track the baku who had her in his possession down. Those creatures moved faster than any mortal could blink and were experts at remaining hidden. If not for Rin's pleas, it might've been impossible to catch up to them at all.

"My Lord!" the girl had cried out upon seeing him – her struggles to escape becoming even more frantic and desperate much to the chagrin of her captor, "Kohaku put Rin down! Put Rin down this instant!"

"I can't," the young baku had breathed anxiously as he clutched her to his chest, "He might take you from me."

"Then come with us," Rin had snapped as she folded her arms best she could and glared, "You say you've imprinted on Rin and Rin wishes to rejoin her Lord. So either put Rin down or Rin will _never_ speak to you again."

"I've protected you. I can protect you better than he can. I'd die before I let anything hurt you," Kohaku had pleaded desperately even as he slowed down to a full stop and cringed, "But…but if you want to go with him…I'll go too."

"You really need to work on your courting abilities," Rin teased with a relieved sigh, "Rin likes you but you are very strange sometimes."

"I get that a lot," Kohaku chuckled nervously as he placed her onto her feet and stood anxiously awaiting the giant dog demon barreling towards him, "It's the voices. They…they cause problems."

"Are they talking to you now?" Rin asked hesitantly before sighing when he shook his head. Giving him a sympathetic smile, she took his hand and squeezed, "Rin understands imprinting. Her Lord told her about it. Explained when Lord Inuyasha imprinted on Lady Kagome. That you imprinted on her is very serious and Rin will not leave you so do not fear."

"You know, you call me strange yet you speak about yourself in the third person," Kohaku chuckled nervously as he gripped her hand tightly when the dog demon skidded to a halt in front of him, "It seems we're both rather strange."

"Perhaps," Rin laughed softly before gasping when her Lord suddenly opened his mouth and deposited at least a dozen individuals onto the forest floor who all looked as confused and mildly disgusted as she felt, "What on earth!?"

As her Lord transformed back into his usual form, he quickly appraised the situation and his lips twitched downwards as the implications became blatantly obvious. Wrinkling his nose in disgust, Sesshomaru first address the baku with a disapproving glare, "You have imprinted on my ward. Are you not Lady Sango's brother?"

"Yes sir," Kohaku replied in a voice barely louder than a whisper as he subconsciously moved closer to Rin and cowered, "Who are _they_? I…I…"

"Do not speak. This Sesshomaru has heard of _you_ young one. Of your _ailments_ ," the daiyoukai hissed as he set his jaw and turned his angry gaze on Rin, "This boy may not even have imprinted on you, Rin. It may be yet another of his delusions. Come. We're leaving."

"My Lord," Rin interrupted meekly as she cast a worried glance at Kohaku, "Rin does not think that he…"

"This Sesshomaru cares not about what _you_ think Rin. This Sesshomaru knows infinitely more than a child and this boy suffers from violent tendencies. It is unacceptable," Sesshomaru hissed before paling slightly when he noticed the various half-demons littered on the floor staring incredulously up at him with their mouths hanging open – clearly not believing what they were seeing, "In any case, we must hurry. There is a war and an army approaching from the South."

"An army?" Kohaku piped up in a meek voice before his eyes widened and his jaw dropped, "My sister and the others. They're at our village in the mountains. They need to be warned."

"That is This Sesshomaru's goal," the daiyoukai sneered as he glided elegantly yet determinedly forward and gripped Rin's free hand, "Now we must make haste. You are to come with me, Rin."

"He's coming too," Rin protested stubbornly as she put on her most fearsome face which was not in the slightest fearsome, "Let Rin decide whether he loves her or not. Did my Lord not tell Rin that imprinting is the most powerful instinct known to demon-kind? Kohaku will love Rin whether Rin loves him one day or not. Rin is old enough to make her decisions and Rin wants to get to know him."

"He is a berserker," Sesshomaru huffed in exasperation yet his efforts to tug her away had ceased, "Such a union would be unacceptable and bring shame upon my house."

"Because Rin is human?" Rin challenged as she set her jaw and stared her father figure down, "Because if Rin mated a demon or baku, Rin would have half-demon children that would serve under my Lord? Because my Lord _hates_ his half-demon brother?"

Amber eyes melting slightly, Sesshomaru sighed and in an unnerving manner ran his clawed fingers through his hair, "Rin, This Sesshomaru could never hate you or any children you may have. For all intents and purposes you are the closest This Sesshomaru has to a daughter. On my honor, were you to gain a demon's lifespan, all that I have will be yours. Indeed, I had hoped it to be so and would gladly give my blessing on any demon I deemed worthy of you as you would live long enough to inherit my kingdom. But there is no kingdom now. There is no fortune to be had and as it stands, it is in your best interest to leave this boy whose sanity is questionable at best and rejoin the human world. This Sesshomaru will gladly deliver you to a human village but he cannot give you his blessing to mate this boy given his condition."

Rin sighed and fidgeted for a moment before snorting when one of the half-demons finally came to his senses and began giggling like mad.

"Holy _shit_! The great Sesshomaru is out here acting like he gives a shit about…" the red haired boy cackled madly before one of his companions – fast as lightening – moved and slapped her hand over his mouth.

"Shut up moron," the turquoise haired girl hissed in her friend's ear as she stared up at the irate looking daiyoukai with fearful eyes. In reality, only a few seconds passed but it felt like a lifetime to the rescued as they anxiously waited for him to decide to strike them all down for their insolence and their witnessing such a strangely intimate and out of character moment.

Finally after the agonizingly tense moment, Sesshomaru turned to address the victims, "In one day, the West has fallen prey. In one day, thousands of our kind have been slaughtered. In one day, all that was had is now gone forever. So yes, This Sesshomaru shall protect the most precious thing to me that is still in my possession but if you _dare_ speak out of turn again half-demon, This Sesshomaru will not hesitate to end your miserable life, understood? Now there is an army of the undead approaching. Let us make haste."

Nodding fervently, the gaggle of half-demons cowered in fear as the daiyoukai transformed back and snatched them once more in his mouth before motioning with his gigantic head for the baku and Rin to follow. This imprinting situation could be better dealt with in the confine of the sanctuary in the mountains.

And it _would_ be dealt with to the _fullest_ extent _possible_.


	51. A New Way to Travel

As he stood in the guard tower overlooking the mountain ridge, Inuyasha couldn't help but grin at the unnatural large dog who hit the barrier yet again before being flung gracefully through the air like a man who had stepped on a landmine in zero gravity. Each blast blowing him back and each time he kept charging forward like there'd be a different result. So the bastard had abandoned his post after all. For all his big talk, even he couldn't fight back a horde of angry humans. Not that he could really judge him. According to Kagome, they had hundreds upon hundreds of spiritual men and women on their side. In all honesty, the fact that Sesshomaru was even alive was testament enough on his strength.

"OI! BASTARD! THERE'S A FUCKING BARRIER DUMBASS!" Inuyasha called out as loudly as he could as he leaned out a window and waved his hand to try to garner his older brother's attention, "YOU'RE DRAWING TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO THE FORT! CALM THE FUCK DOWN!"

For a minute, Inuyasha was sure that his brother was too far gone to even understand half of his statement. He'd only ever seen that form once and it was after father had died. His brother hadn't responded to anything. There were no signs that he understood what they were telling him. Luckily, they'd found him a few hours later in the mountains passed out from exhaustion in his usual form but it was disconcerting that this was the form he took now.

Surprisingly, however, the giant white monstrosity of a dog looked up at him, nodded once before vomiting some very solid looking shit all over the ground that writhed and groaned.

"Ah fuck. What the hell is that?!" Inuyasha yipped in disgust as he wrinkled his nose and stared down at the mess with a horrified expression that quickly morphed into pure unadulterated shock, "Wait, is that?"

"Lord Inuyasha!" came several familiar voices as a few of the chunky blobs back to move and stood up. Those standing waved their arms with broad grins while some merely sat utterly disgusted and traumatized beyond measure.

"They did survive," Inuyasha breathed as he gaped down at the dozen or so tiny beings Sesshomaru had just barfed up, "He…he saved them."

"Are you sure it's not a trick?" Sango asked wearily as she surveyed this latest development, "I wouldn't put it past that specter to try something like this. Maybe they're under her control as well."

"Maybe," Inuyasha mumbled distractedly as he watched the little ones with a transfixed and heartbroken expression, "I should've gone back. I told Kagome some of them might have survived but she said…she said there was no way. They…they've been suffering because I listened to her."

"You were terribly injured," Sango coughed awkwardly as she turned a concerned gaze at her dearest friend, "And believe me when I say going back would've gotten you killed. Kagome was most likely trying to protect you."

"They were my responsibility," he murmured as his hands shook and he took a step back towards the stairs, "Kagome said they died and I…I believed her. I…I…"

"Inuyasha?" Sango asked nervously as she saw his face contorted with rage and anger, "Don't do anything rash. You need to stay calm."

"If it wasn't for her they could've been saved weeks ago! _Weeks_ , Sango! But she…she…I went against every instinct I had on her word! I…I betrayed them! Abandoned them," Inuyasha managed to gasp as he backed up towards the wall – his chest heaving erratically, amber eyes dilating as sweat began accumulating on his forehead. For a moment, he merely breath in shallow quick gasps before he turned wild, horrified eyes at his friend and whispered, "What have I become?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So Inuyasha wishes for you to lower the barrier to allow in the new arrivals," Sango mumbled awkwardly to her miko friend as she danced around the unspoken question in those sapphire eyes as to why Inuyasha wasn't tell her this himself, "Could you, um, do that?"

"How do we know these new arrivals aren't possessed?" Kagome asked quietly as she furrowed her brow, "The whole reason we put up the barrier in the first place was to prevent Kikyo from getting an inside man."

"These arrivals are, um, familiars of Inuyasha," Sango admitted awkwardly as she began wringing her hands together and averting her eyes, "He, uh, has stated that he will vouch for their sincerity and, um, reminds you that these are the…the forsaken."

"Reminds me?" Kagome repeated quietly as she furrowed her brow and her confusion deepened, "I don't understand. Is he upset with me?"

"Please don't put me in the middle of this even more so than I am," Sango pleaded quietly as she glanced back at the guard tower where Inuyasha had shut himself in, "Just go talk to him. I think this would be better coming from him and I'm so, _so_ tired of being your go between."

"Why is he upset with me?" Kagome asked as she visibly paled and looked like she was going to faint, "I don't understand."

"He's in the watch tower. Please go talk to him," Sango pleaded as she released a shaky sigh, "I can't do this anymore. I only make things worse and in all honesty, this is between you and him. Go speak with him and allow him to explain."

"I…" Kagome began nervously – her mouth going dry and her heart pounding out of her chest, "Will he…will he throw me out if I don't let these new arrivals in? Will he forsake me?"

"Go. Ask. Him," Sango replied through gritted teeth as she huffed and pointed towards the wall, "You both need to learn something about communication. Like not hiding when things are hard. Now you go in there and talk to him! I'm so tired of this! I'm done!"

"But Sango…" Kagome protested faintly as tears welled in the corners of her eyes, "I don't…."

"Then ask him dammit! Don't make me drag you there myself," Sango hissed as her eyes flashed red before blinking rapidly and gaping, "I'm sorry. I just…I don't know why I reacted that way. I'm sorry."

"No, you're right," Kagome replied in barely more than a frightened whisper, her eyes shining with unshed tears, "I…we need to talk more about things…things that…that are hard. You're right."

"Kagome, I'm…" Sango began quietly as she reached out a hand that was ignored as the miko pushed past her and began walking silently towards the guard tower without looking back.

"What on earth just happened?" Miroku suddenly asked from the door of a nearby hut. Leaning against the wooden frame, he looked at the very flusterd and heartbroken woman of his dreams and sighed, "What you said was true. It is between them."

"I shouldn't have gotten so angry but you didn't see him. It just…I've never seen him so upset," Sango replied as she dropped to her knees in a snow bank, "I'm so tired of this. Of all the bloodshed and tears. Sometimes I wish…I wish…"

"If you finish that statement or act upon it, I will personally find away to bring you back to kill you myself," Miroku chided gently as he made his way effortlessly through the snow and knelt down beside her, "Come now. Let's get you inside. It's out of your hands now."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

A mass of bloodied, mottled flesh hobbled onwards toward her destination flanked by hundreds of undead soldiers who bent to her will. Such sheer numbers may seem excessive to some but they were necessary to destroy the ones who had taken _everything_ from her. In life, Kagome had been her most beloved sister whom she died to protect but now? Now she was a demon's whore because of the red string of fate. Legend had often told of an intangible string of fate that bound two people destined to be together. Connected regardless of time, place or circumstance. The gods saw fit to tie this red string of desire around the pinky finger of those destined to meet and, if to grotesque monstrosity's intuition sang true, such a bond could be severed as easily as the finger itself. One little finger and her sister would be set free from that wretched demon's clutches. One little finger and he'd cast her aside like the common whore she'd become. One little finger and this sick charade would be shattered. So simple. Just one little finger. It's flesh so tender. The bone so fragile. All it would take is one simple snap and it would all be over. Even death would not reunite them. If she could get close to that filthy half-breed that is.


	52. Fuck You Sesshomaru

Pressing his trembling hand against the smooth stone wall, Inuyasha couldn't tear his watery gaze away from the sight outside the window. At first, he had muffled his sobs as he attempted to hide his grief and his guilt then overcome by the wave of his emotions he broke down entirely, all his defenses washed away in those salty tears. Kagome couldn't see him like this. He couldn't allow her to think him weak. Not anymore. She'd finally, finally gotten to a place where she could accept his love. Where they could engage in the physical manifestation of that love. Because he was the strong one. Sure, he'd cried before her only a few weeks prior but he'd been sick then and…and this was different. This was entirely different. In his mind at least.

"Inuyasha?" came a scared sounding voice he really didn't want to hear in that moment, "Sango, said you needed to talk to me?"

"Oh god dammit Sango," Inuyasha sniffled under his breath as he desperately tried to wipe the tears off his face with his sleeve before clearing his throat and calling hoarsely towards the door, "Go away Kagome!"

"No," came her strained response as she pushed the door open – a cold snowy draft entering the room as she did before she closed the door behind her, "You really need to stop using her as a go between you know. If you have something to say to me, say it to my face."

"Got nothin' to say," he mumbled miserably as he leaned a shoulder against the stone wall and wrapped his arms tightly around his middle, "Just…just go."

"Not until you talk to me," Kagome countered with an exasperated sigh, "You wanted me to open the barrier. Can't you tell me why?"

"Not yet," came his weary reply as Kagome moved to stand behind him and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. Swallowing thickly, Inuyasha seemed to withdraw more into himself as he pleaded hoarsely, "Don't...don't touch me. I don't deserve it. Just please… _please_ go."

"Not until…" Kagome huffed before gasping when he turned to face her. Inuyasha's face was a picture of grief, loss, guilt and devastation. After all they'd been through, it hurt her that he somehow felt he couldn't trust her with his vulnerability.

"What's happened?" the former miko whispered quietly as she reached up to cup his face in her palm – her thumb gently brushing away a stray tear that was cascading down his cheek, "Why…"

"They survived," he choked out as he clenched his eyes shut and reached up to gently remove her hand, "The…the half-demons that were _supposed_ to be under my _protection_. They…they were left behind."

Sapphire eyes widened in shock and understanding as she moved past him to look out the window. Sure enough there were at least a dozen half-demons playing out in the snow along with Sesshomaru, a little human girl and Sango's brother.

"I don't believe it," she gasped quietly as she furrowed her brow and glanced over her shoulder at the distraught hanyou, "Did they stay behind in the palace or…or did they survive the attack?"

"I dunno," he mumbled back dejectedly as he leaned back against the wall and slid down onto the floor, "Either way, what good was I? I failed them. I should've gone back. I should've but I didn't."

"You were dying," Kagome soothed as she quickly moved to his side and brushed a few stray hairs behind his ear, "What could you have done?"

"Anything but what I did," he muttered weakly as he cast her a heartbroken glance before averting his eyes to the floor, "Maybe if I'd've gone then…."

"Are you…are you blaming me?" Kagome scoffed as she fluidly got to her feet and took a step back, "You're upset with me, aren't you? That's why you didn't want to see me. You blame me for stopping you from going back."

"No I'm not upset with you," he sighed in a resigned tone as he closed his eyes briefly in pain. Pulling his knees tightly against his chest, he rested his forehead against him as he hoarsely continued on, "At least, not really. You were right. If I had gone by myself – or even with you – we both probably would've been killed. I was in no condition to fight. And…and if they stayed behind in the palace instead of being captured, you….you wouldn't've known to look for them anyway. Too many hidden passages."

Sighing heavily, Kagome moved to sit beside him and gently ran her fingers through his soft, silvery locks, "I'll let them in, okay? I'm sure they'll forgive you."

"You're right. They...they probably will but...but I can't…" he choked miserably before gasping when she began moving away. Grabbing hold of her wrist faster than she could blink, he blinked at her for a minute as though just processing this move himself before gently releasing her and clearing his throat, "No. Just…just we need to make sure…make sure they're safe. She's after you. I can't…"

"You sent Sango to tell me to lower the barrier though. You want me to let them in," Kagome chuckled in a confused tone as she slowly moved to rest on her knees and cupped his face once more to force him to look at her, "What changed?"

"Rational thought," he chuckled darkly as his hurt amber eyes stared back at her through wet lashes and he gave her a bittersweet half-grin, "Not acting on impulse. Besides, I just…I won't put anyone in danger over this. I should be the one who goes out there."

"I beg your pardon but what good will it do if you go out there without backup?" Kagome pointed out – her tone affectionate and not accusatory - as she arched a single brow, "Why …"

"I'm upset, okay? Not thinking clearly," he sighed heavily as he reached up and dragged her into his arms, "I just…I would feel more…comfortable if no one went to be honest. But...but someone has to. Maybe...maybe your brother? Your sister won't try to…to possess him again. Not that he's already thrown him off."

"You're going to send him out there by _himself_?" Kagome asked in a slightly miffed tone as she settled to sit in his lap and he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, " _I'm_ not comfortable with _that_."

"Well what do you suggest then?" Inuyasha sighed in a tired resigned tone as he buried his nose into her neck and inhaled deeply, "How can we tell if they're possessed or not?"

"Send Sota _and_ me?" Kagome offered with a soft sigh as she reached up with one hand to fondle his ears – earning an involuntarily whimper from the hanyou, "I'll be careful. I promise I will."

"Don't go," he begged softly – his already tight embrace somehow growing tighter as though her was relying on her to hold himself together and perhaps he was, "I'll send…send Sango. She'll get him out of there at the first sign of trouble but you need to stay here with me. I can't lose you."

"You'll never lose me," Kagome sighed affectionately – although with a hint of exasperation before glancing out the window at the setting sun and wondering at how fast time flew, "Whatever we do, we need to do it quickly."

"We could quarantine them," Inuyasha offered quietly after a long moment, "Keep them separate from the others and under seals until we determine they're alright."

"That could work," Kagome sighed, "I'll go get Sota and we'll come up with something."

"In a minute," Inuyasha countered gently as he nuzzled her neck and placed a soft kiss just under her jaw, "Right now I just want to hold you."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Preparations took much longer than anyone would've liked but finally a direct line of sutras leading to the guest huts had been laid out beginning at the entrance. Inuyasha – for his part – seemed completely at a loss of what to do with himself and had settled on shadowing Kagome – her presence obviously soothing his frazzled nerves. Every once in a while, at completely random intervals, he'd reach out to grab her hand and bringing it to his lips before releasing her and burying his hands within the folds of his robes. It was clear the action brought him some level of comfort so no one commented on it within earshot.

"One would like to acquaint your neck with one's blade for such insolence but alas the motivation and reasoning is sound," Sesshomaru hissed through the barrier as Inuyasha came to stand before him - his hand gripped Kagome's within their bilious sleeves like she was his only lifeline, "There is something unnatural advancing on this fort. An army of the undead."

"Great," Ginta groaned as he and Shiroi suddenly glided gracefully up to stand beside the primary couple, "Tomorrow we have to go across the pass to get the last members of my tribe. That should be..."

"Is there something about an army of the undead that you did not understand?" Sesshomaru hissed incredulously, "I assure you that the survivors of that outpost will do much better where they are than at the mercy of the unknown."

"See and this is why no one likes you," Ginta clipped back defiantly as he arched a single brow and scowled, "Why give a shit about the people when you can save your own ass? Who cares if that undead army takes them too? Might as well find out when..."

"Calm yourself," Shiori chided gently as she began to rub soothing circles across his back, "There's no point in fighting right now. If what he says is true, then we need to talk about our options with cool heads."

Grunting, Ginta bared his fangs at Sesshomaru before grasping Shiori's hand and marching angrily through the snow leaving a bemused, oddly impressed Inuyasha behind him.

"Well kids got balls I'll give him that," Inuyaha snorted before his face paled and fell when several of the tiny half-demons suddenly came bounding through the barrier behind Sota who had volunteered to lead them inside.

"LORD INUUUYYYASSSSHHHAAA!" several high pitched ecstatic voices suddenly rang out as a swarm of the smaller children suddenly barreled over each other to get closer, "We're so glad you're okay! We thought you died! You were so sick but Lord Sesshomaru told us you instructed him to save us! We knew you wouldn't forget us! We knew it!"

Casting an alarmed glance at the smug looking daiyoukai, Inuyasha forced a smile on his face as he knelt down before them - awkwardly dragging Kagome down with him due to the vice grip he had on her hand, "Are all of you okay? Are you injured?"

"What the bloody hell took you so long!?" an angsty voice suddenly rang out followed by a indignant scoff from Sota as the young priest was pushed out of the way by the obstinate youngster as he crossed through the gate, "We lost six half-demons because you took your sweet ass time sending someone to come get us! Six people died because of you! Six!"

Gaping at the young boy, it took everything Inuyasha had not to react to this statement in rash anger. He paled further than he was and very seriously looked like he was about to pass out as the boy continued.

"You took a vow to protect us and look what happened?! Hell, did anyone except your sorry ass and your whore make it back alive or..." the teenager's angry rant was cut off by a sharp backhand to the side of his face. And not from Inuyasha either.

"You dare speak to the Heir apparent to the West in such a manner," Sesshomaru hissed angrily - causing nearly everyone in the vicinity to suffer from whiplash as their heads spun about in shock, "You dare raise your voice and place blame on his shoulders when there is no blame to be had! You dare..."

"Oi! Sesshomaru, don't beat the kid up! He..." Inuyasha protested weakly as the daiyoukai raised his hand to whack the young boy another time, "He's just upset! Don't punish him for that! He has a right..."

"He has no right!" Sesshomaru roared as he towered over the small turquoise haired youth who was laying stunned on the ground - holding one hand on his smarting cheek, "This insolent coward dares cast judgment and blame on someone who bears no fault for these events! He speaks out of turn!"

"Let's all just calm down, huh? Anyone want some tea?" Kagome chuckled nervously as she tried to stand - only to find Inuyasha's grip on her hand hadn't lessened and she couldn't properly stand as a result. Huffing, she whispered into his little triangle to release her but he seemed too stunned to do anything except stare at the brother who always hated him defending him so pointlessly over something so stupid.

"Stop it," Inuyasha finally croaked right before Sesshomaru struck the boy again - effectively stilling his hand. Getting to his feet, the traumatized adult hanyou relaxed his grip on Kagome's hand only slightly as he continued, "Just stop it. There's been enough fighting. You each will undergo tests to ensure you haven't been possessed. In the morning, we will travel to the wolf demon outpost to collect the survivors and will return before noon. In terms of who has rights and who doesn't, the Western lands have fallen. We're all equal anymore Sesshomaru. There are no lords. No servants. No slaves. So he can say whatever the damn well he pleases."

"The West has..." Sesshomaru began heatedly as he turned outraged eyes onto his half-brother who only moments ago seemed to be on the verge of collapse yet not seemed unnaturally calm.

"The West has fallen," Inuyasha finished for him before glancing over at Sota who seemed like he'd rather be anywhere else except for in this small tight passageway he'd gone into, "If you hurt a hair on anyone in this fortress's head, you will not be spared just because of your rank. We'll finish this talk once you've been cleared in the morning."

"You dare..." Sesshomaru began heatedly before closing his eyes and taking a long calming breath when his human ward rushed to his side and enveloped his hand in both of hers. Glancing down at her, he sighed in defeat at the pleading look in her eyes before turning his attention back to his brother, "Very well. In the morning we shall continue this discussion. There are _several_ things I wish to discuss with you and your associates as a matter of fact."

"My _associates_?" Inuyasha snorted as he arched a brow, "Like who?"

"A meeting shall be arranged between the affected parties," Sesshomaru replied with thinly veiled ire before whipping his head towards the timid male baku who was obviously torn between going to Rin and staying off the radar. Following his gaze, Inuyasha and Kagome both sighed in miserable understanding before Inuyasha nodded once.

"I'll let Sango know," he muttered as he cast another furtive glance at the young man whose eyes seemed as wild as ever before taking a step towards the barrier and whispering so quietly only his brother could hear, "You can't stop an imprint Sesshomaru."

"Is that what you think?" Sesshomaru replied arrogantly as he cast a pointed glance at his brother's mate with an almost sadistic grin, "Sleep well tonight. Sleep well."

Before he had a chance to follow that threat up with a threat of his own, Sesshomaru had traveled a surprising distance down the path leaving his brother's already frazzled nerves in shambles.

"Let's go to our hut," Inuyasha managed to mutter after a moment as he suddenly turned and began dragging a very annoyed looking Kagome behind him.

"Don't you think we..." Kagome protested before Inuyasha glanced over his shoulders - the look of terror, guilt and self-loathing stilling her tongue. They crossed the grounds in record time before Inuyasha thrust them both into the hut and quickly captured her mouth with his own.

 _'Ah, he wants comfort sex,'_ Kagome thought bemusedly as she returned his affection with equal vigor. Once he seemed assured she wasn't going to reject his advances, his kisses became unbearably gentle - almost as though he was afraid she might break. Gently, ever so gently, he maneuvered her towards the small futon - burrowing them beneath the blankets in a feat of strength and grace no human could ever think to achieve. Her kimono is the first to go and then his own until they were each as naked as the day they were born.

"I love you," he murmured softly as he lay his body flush against hers and gently kissed the nape of her neck, "So much Kagome."

"I love you too," she whispered back before squeaking in surprise when he suddenly forces her onto her side and slipped down behind her. A soft cry escaped her lips as he penetrated her in one quick thrust - pumping ever so slowly as a deep moan escaped his throat.

"Bond with me," he whispered breathlessly into her ear as one hand maneuvered under her thigh to lift it so as to give him better access. When he got no reply other than a pleasurable moan, he rested his forehead against the nape of her neck and groaned, "I want...I... _oh_...so good...ah...oh god, please bond with me. The impress..."

"Impress," Kagome breathed absently before a diminutive cry escaped her lips and her back arched as he hit something wonderful deep inside her. Taking that statement as consent, Inuyasha slowed his pace and tried to calm himself down enough to explain what she needed to say, "Re...repeat after me, 'kay?"

A soft nod came from the lightly panting woman beneath him as he began picking up his pace once more, "I...I come seeking understanding."

"I come seeking understanding," Kagome whispered before crying out softly when one clawed hand adjusted her thigh to rest atop his hip before dragging gently across her abdomen. His fingers...his, ah, so magical fingers began tracing her womanhood before settling on one area that wiped all coherent thought from her head as he continued his soft, breathy mantra.

"To know...to know better myself," he managed to ground out through his uneven panting as he continued to hammer forward, "and the world."

"To know better myself and the world," Kagome repeated in one long breathy moan. So close. She was so close.

"With pure intentions and...and an open heart," he moaned deeply as he clenched his eyes shut and his jaw fell open - a soft cry escaping his lips as he desperately fought back his own orgasm. No, for this to work, they had to fall over that cliff together. Pausing slightly, he continued working her as he tried to get his body under control. Chuckling shakily, he continued in between deep calming breaths, "And by blood of my blood, two become one..."

"With pure intentions and an open heart and by blood of my blood, two become one," Kagome repeated as she too tried to catch her breath and she threw a playful smile at him over her shoulder but knew better than to make a comment other than the oath. He hoped she did anyway.

"I give unto you which is mine" Inuyasha ground out as he once again picked up the pace - earning an appreciative squeak from the woman in his arms as he felt her walls ripple around him, "My spirit is now...now thine."

"I give unto you...which is mine...my spirit is...is now thine," she moaned before her back arched and her mouth fell open in a silent scream. Quickly biting his own tongue to draw blood, he waited until he couldn't hold back any longer and quickly sank his fangs into her shoulder - just enough to draw blood and force his blood into her own. Releasing her, he felt her release just as the coil in his own loins unraveled. Muffling his moan into the back of her neck, he felt a calm rush over him - relaxing his tense muscles and putting his mind at blissful ease.

 _'Fuck you Sesshomaru,'_ he thought lazily as he pulled a similarly sated Kagome into a loose spooning position, _'Like to see anyone try to break our bond now.'_


	53. Premonition

"So...some weather we're having, huh?" Sota chuckled nervously as he sat down on the far side of the small hut. The half-demons were all huddled together in the opposite corner while the tall stately demon sat in the dead center with the young girl. The other baku seemed at a loss of where to sit and finally decided to sit uncomfortably close to the young boy who had just poised the question. Clearing his throat pointedly, Sota scooted over a smidgeon before trying his luck to make the entire situation less awkward for everyone involved. He failed.

"Where is everybody from?" he asked as he plastered a very forced smile on their face which earned various looks ranging from amusement to indignation from the other occupants. Shifting uncomfortably, he continued in that same awkward tone, "So _I'm_ from a village by the sea. Anyone else?"

"Pardon me but I think you're under the assumption any of us give a damn," a turquoise haired teenager scoffed as he sent the young boy a withering glare, "I mean everyone is entitled to be stupid now and again but you're _really_ abusing that privilege."

"Well I'd tell you to go fuck yourself but that would be a cruel and unusual punishment," Sota clipped back as he set his jaw and met the teenagers angry amber eyes. For a moment, each of them stared down the other before - to Sota's sheer and utter surprise - the teenager's gaze soften and a genuine smile bloomed on his face.

"You know what? You're okay for a human. I think in time I might not loathe your existence," the teenager replied as his eyes sparkled mischievously, "What's your name anyhow? Must've missed it before."

"I'm Sota. Kagome's younger brother," the younger boy replied as he gave the teenager a shy smile and began glancing around at the others, "It'd really help me if I learned all your names. I'm probably spending the rest of my life here after all."

"I didn't know Kagome had a brother," one of the littles cooed as she cocked her head to the side and peered intently at his face with her piercing blue eyes, "Why didn't you come visit her?"

Scracthing the back of his head nervously, Sota began staring at the dirt floor as though it was the most interesting thing in the world while his mind scrambled to come up with some valid excuse. Luckily or rather _unfortunately_ , he didn't have to.

"She was sold dumbass," the turquoise haired teen clipped exasperatedly as he boxed the young girl's webbed ear, "Don't ask stupid questions."

"Stop it Akira!" a red haired, freckled face girl who looked about the same age as the turquoise haired boy huffed angrily as she pulled the now bawling little into her lap, "Just because you're angry doesn't mean you have to take it out on everyone else. First you yell at Inuyasha, then at this guy and now at Tsu! Grow up already!"

"Well excuse me for saying what we're all thinking. All of you know Inuyasha didn't tell this bastard to..." Akiro began heatedly before trailing off when Sesshomaru gracefully got to his feet and turned to face the suddenly contrite crew of half-demons.

"Didn't tell this _bastard_ to do _what_ , _exactly_?" the daiyoukai asked in a cold tone as he arched a single brow and gestured for the young teen to come stand before him. When the teen seemed literally too terrified to move, the very intimidating man took a single step forward causing all of the small horde to shrink back in fear.

"In case you have all forgotten, your _Lord_ was actively _dying_ at the time of the attack. This Sesshomaru is apparently the only one of you who seems to understand that his being alive at this very moment is nothing short of a _miracle_ ," he continued in a low hiss as he held up a single clawed hand - each nail glowing a sickly green color as venom began dripping down his hand, "This _bastard_ , as you have dared referred to the Lord of the Western Lands, rescued your pathetic lives at great personal risk and this is the..."

"Let's _everybody_ calm down," Sota suddenly interrupted before cringing when the irate daiyoukai turned his glare on him. Clearing his throat, Sota pressed forward even as he pressed his back straight up against the wooden wall and seriously considered screaming for his sister, "I'm just saying that a lot is going on and we...we can't be turning on each other."

"That makes a lot of sense," the young man who'd sat next to him suddenly opined thoughtfully as he sent Sota a toothy grin and continued on happily, "I like snow."

"Yeah, uh, snow is, um, _good_ ," Sota chuckled awkwardly as he kept his eyes locked on the daiyoukai who looked rather confused by this interjection. Nodding as though that was the wisest thing that had ever been said, the strange baku then turned a happy grin to the young girl who looked rather embarrassed and waved with a brilliant grin on his face.

"What...what is happening here?" the red haired girl who stood up for the little whispered anxiously as she cast a nervous glance at the turquoise haired boy who was fighting back a grin. The two were obviously the oldest of the motley refugees. There were a few a little younger than him that understood the gravity of the situation and were trying their best to remain as unnoticeable as possible. The littles, however, had grown bored with this conversation and were now beginning to fuss in complete ignorance to the fact that it was unwise to bring any attention back to themselves.

"Um, Kohaku, this...this might not be the best time," Rin squeaked as she cast a nervous apologetic glance at her benefactor, "Perhaps we should, um..."

"Remain calm, got it," Kohaku affirmed happily before the world around them shimmered and they all suddenly found themselves transported to a strange remote island surrounded by crystal calm waters and sunshine.

"This...this isn't what Rin meant," Rin mumbled miserably as she buried her face in her hands and groaned, "Rin meant..."

"Do you see why This Sesshomaru disapproved?" the daiyoukai hissed angrily as he pointed an accusatory finger at the baku who was grinning like this was the best idea he ever had, "This boy is delusional and completely unfit to be anyone's mate, much less yours."

"Well you were threatening people, my Lord," Rin groaned miserably as she slowly lowered her hands into her lap, "He's trying to help diffuse the tension."

"Yup," Kohaku chirped happily as sent her what _he_ believed to be a dashing smile, "No one's fighting anymore and everyone's mad at me now. Crisis averted."

" _Ooookkkaaayyy_ ," Sota began slowly as he glanced around at the others. The little ones were now happily playing in the sand and water. They were no longer fussing. That was one problem down. The teenagers were distracted trying to keep track of them. Another problem down. Sesshomaru seemed to have forgotten the half-demons entirely as all his anger became trained on the still grinning young man. It had solved that problem in a way. In a completely insane and illogical way but it got the job done nonetheless.

"Well, you were _never_ going to approve of me anyhow," Kohaku suddenly chirped with completely ease as gave the daiyoukai a knowing grin, "I'm okay with that too just so you know. When the whole world is crazy, it doesn't pay to be sane."

"It does if you're trying to impress him," Rin mumbled miserably - more to herself than to the young baku or her Lord.

"Besides," Kohaku continued completely having missed Rin's comment, "Sometimes you have to be completely insane to _outsane_ the sane. You were all fighting and now you're not. Be mad at me if you will but nobody got hurt and I say it's worth it to have you think of me whichever way you please."

"Kids got balls I'll give him that," the turquoise teen chuckled quietly as he elbowed the red haired girl who sent her peer a withering glare before bending over to pick up a purple haired little that was clawing at the edge of her top. The daiyoukai, for his part, seemed conflicted. On the one hand, the boy had acted in a completely illogical and inappropriate manner. On the other, he acted with calculated intent to bring about the relative calm and ease that now existed. Most importantly, the boy had done so for Rin's peace of mind and knowing full well, it would not in his best interest to do so. Perhaps after many, many years of training, therapy and guidance he could one day make a worthy mate for Rin. _Maybe_. However unlikely and however much he loathed to admit it.

"Very well," Sesshomaru finally spoke in his usual emotionless tone as he turned and sat down gracefully where he stood - much to Rin's utter and complete shock, "It will not be This Sesshomaru who disrupts the peace when there are greater adversaries worth fighting."

"Sounds good to me," Kohaku chirped as he laid down and lazily draped one arm around his waist before stretching his arms above his head and releasing a mighty yawn. Lolling his head to look at Rin, he added softly and for her benefit, "You know, there is nothing more reassuring than knowing that the world is crazier than I am but you know, sometimes being a little crazy can lead to _wonderful_ things."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Inuyasha woke a few hours later to the wonderful sensation of having Kagome in his arms. Her scent had changed a little as had his own and he found a serene peace in it. Perhaps it had been a little impulsive to finalize their mating with an impress - brought about in the midst of sheer panic that their bond might be broken by that bastard brother of his. Still, he wouldn't change what happened for the world itself. Carefully retracting his arm from underneath her head, he propped himself up on one elbow to see whether the impress had taken effect and to what extent. After all, the size of the impress was tied directly to the depth of the person's feelings for the other. One parties might be substantially larger or smaller than the other but to his relief, hers seemed rather large and extensive.

Curled, delicate vines draped elegantly over her back beginning at the spot he'd marked her. Small outlines of cherry blossoms scattered at random intervals accented the mark and it seemed rather fitting to have something so beautiful marked permanently on her flesh. Glancing down at his own body, he was mildly alarmed to see matching, extremely _feminine_ vines on his own skin snaking across his chest and abdomen. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the location of where his ended on his shoulder seemed to match where hers began. Two parts of a larger whole. Girly though it may be, he had to admit he liked that about this new design permanently etched into his skin. He could definitely do without the cherry blossoms though. Definitely could've lived without _that_.

"It's cold," Kagome suddenly muttered sleepily as she began to blindly reach with her free hand to pull him back to her, "Come back to bed."

"We have to get up sometime," he chuckled even as he obliged and moved to spoon her once more, "But I can deal with not having to face the outside world at the moment."

"They'll forgive you," Kagome mumbled as she snuggled into his embrace before adding when she felt him tense, "More importantly, you need to forgive yourself."

"I know," he whispered as he buried his nose into the crook of her neck and inhaled her scent to calm his newly frazzled nerves, "It's just hard is all."

"Life can be hard," Kagome cooed as she titled her head slightly to rub her cheek alongside the top of his head, "You can't let that defeat you. Life does get better after all. Believe me, I _know_."

"Do you now?" Inuyasha teased as he tightened his grip around her waist and pulled her tightly against him, "Well tell me your secret, all wise and powerful miko. Perhaps I need a lesson."

"Are you trying to flirt or something?" Kagome snorted as she closed her eyes and smiled, "If you are, you're so _bad_ at it."

"Wasn't my best attempt," he admitted as a faint blush graced his cheeks and he nuzzled her neck, "Would you prefer I be more crass and direct?"

" _No_ ," Kagome groaned as she moved to intertwine her fingers with his and held their hands tightly against their abdomen, "I'd _prefer_ going back to sleep. There'll be time for what you're _trying_ to initiate _later_."

Pouting slightly, Inuyasha flopped his head back down on the futon and whined in protest. Even if he hadn't said anything, she must've _felt_ where he was going with his piss poor attempt at foreplay. After all, his problem was stubbornly making itself known against her backside at the moment and her little shifts as she tried to get comfortable weren't helping that particular _problem_ at all. If anything, it made it _worse_. Still, taking a short nap didn't seem like the worst idea in the world and perhaps if she was well rested, it could make for a _very_ interesting night. So he contented himself that with that thought and closed his own eyes as he shifted to slip his arm under her head once more.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"You said there is an army approaching," an elderly woman whispered quietly as a ebony haired woman wearing thick winter furs entered the hut and began shaking the excess snow off her coat, "Would it not be more wise to leave now while they're still a fair distance away?"

"Cho said they're at least three days distance away by foot," the woman sighed miserably as she plopped down by the fire and held her bare hands out towards the flame, "I'm sure it will be fine if we wait for Ginta and Koga to come for us. Besides, with the children..."

"A crow appeared in my window this morning. It's an omen. I know it," the elderly woman interrupted urgently as she cast a cautious glance at the young woman who looked more irked than anything, "Your generation is so blind and dismissive of the old ways. We should leave immediately or death will be on our doorstep."

"Or _maybe_ a crow flew into your window to escape the blizzard," the girl groaned as she rolled her eyes, "Not _everything_ is an omen, Mai. It'll be best for everyone if we wait for the men to arrive."

"You are every bit as powerful as your cousin, Kyou. Indeed, most of your generation are more than able to defend themselves and their offspring," the old woman fussed as she pulled her thick woolen shawl tightly around her shoulders and glared, "We need to leave. There is something _unnatural_ afoot here. Word reached us earlier this morning that several nearby outposts have been compromised. Are you really going to ignore the signs?"

"The other outposts were at the base of the mountain and we're nearly at the peak. We'll be fine until they come for us," the young woman sighed exasperatedly as she rolled her emerald eyes, "Besides, even we wouldn't get far in this blasted storm regardless of our prowess in battle. You're telling us to go on a suicide mission on the off chance that this army hits our doorstep by end of day tomorrow."

"I'm telling you we need to leave. The crow..." Mai huffed indignantly before glaring when Kyou finished for her, "Is the omen of death. Yes, I realize what you think a random crow in your window means. What I'm telling you is that one extra day isn't going to kill us."

"I hope you're right. For your sake," Mai clipped back as she stared absently at the window, "I hope you're right."


	54. Too Late

Everyone else had long since fallen asleep but Kohaku's mind raced and his body wouldn't hold still. It was a curse at times. More than usual. Every movement, every floating piece of snow imprinting in that moment of time over and over until it created a smooth stream of white in the air. Thousands of little white lines illuminated by the moonlight. During the day, he could see a clear outline of where people had been as they played in the sunshine he created. Smooth lines blurring together telling their story as he fought to keep the racing thoughts from consuming him. Even now as everyone slept, he couldn't keep the unnatural boundless energy at bay. He fidgeted, crossing one leg then the other infinitely in an attempt to stay in one spot instead of walking around in circles or doing something, anything to quell the uncontrollable urge to move. Occassionally, he took to rocking as he pulled his knees tightly against his chest and tried to count to a thousand like Sango has once done when they were younger. His sister had always been so unbelievingly understanding and accepting of him. There even when the world spun out from under him.

 _'Breathe with me,'_ his sister would whisper quietly as she pulled his small form into her arms and rocked with him, _'One breath. Two. Three. Four….'_

"Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine," he breathed to himself as a single tear slid down his cheek and depression consumed him. Everything he had done that day ruined any chance he ever would've had with Rin. Not only had he proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was completely unfit and insane but he'd done so while smiling like a giant idiot. He couldn't stop the unrelenting whispering in the back of his mind as they chanted on loop 'kill yourself, kill yourself, kill yourself.' Why did he have to be this way? Doomed to ruin every chance at happiness. Doomed to ruin the lives of everyone he loved. Why…

"Kohaku?" the most beautiful voice in the world whispered causing the dam within his being to break as he choked back a sob and pulled his knees tightly against his chest, "No, no, don't cry. What's wrong?"

"Dunno," he choked miserably as a heartwrenching sob escaped his mouth against his will, "I'm fine. Just….just leave me alone."

"No," Rin whispered quietly as she began to crawl to him - even as she cast a nervous glance at her lord who she could tell was awake despite his eyes being closed. Sesshomaru didn't appear to interfere however, which confused her, but she didn't have time to worry about that. When she reached the young boy, she wriggled her hand so that she could cup his chin and force him to look at her.

"You're not fine. Is it...is it very bad?" she whispered as she sighed deeply and gave him a shy sad little smile, "Rin is not mad at you if that's why you're crying."

"Rin should be," he replied in barely more than a broken whisper as he tried to force a pained watery smile onto his face, "Don't worry about me."

Rolling her eyes, Rin manevered to sit beside him and leaned her head against his shoulder while taking one hand in her own and began to gently run her thumb over his palm, "You were counting."

"Helps sometimes," he admitted shakily before he let out a slight sobbing gasp and tried to weakly pull his hand away, "You don't…"

"Do you want Rin to count with you?" Rin offered softly as she tightened her grip on his palm and refused to release him, "She doesn't mind."

Instead of replying, a new onslaught of tears began and his chest began to heave uncontrollably as he buried his face into his knees once more.

"Why doesn't Rin start, hm? One. Two. Three. Four," Rin whispered affectionately as she rubbed his palm in time with her slow counting and took deep exagerated breaths, "Five. Six. Seven."

"Eight. Nine. Ten," Kohaku began to echo her as he tried to match his breathing with hers and the tension in muscles slowly left. The longer they counted, the more his mind slowed, the sobs slowly ceased, and his mind began to clear.

"Two hundred three. Two hundred four," Rin continued to whisper as her lips twitched upwards when she heard his shaky sigh of relief and he began to relax against her, "Two hundred five. Two hundred six."

"Two hundred seven. Two hundred eight," Kohaku breathed in shaky relief as he closed his eyes in bliss and gently moved his head to lay atop hers, "Two hundred nine. Two hundred ten."

And so they continued to count until they both fell asleep balanced on each other and the wall behind them. Hand in hand as a certain, usually emotionless daiyoukai watched on with a sad, accepting smile on his face.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Inuyasha sighed happily as Kagome traced the markings on his skin with her fingertips by candlelight. In truth, he was completely sated - his earlier predication that a well rested Kagome was a most willing partner accurate beyond even his wildest imaginings. Whomever would've guessed that after all they'd gone through to get to this point, she would be the one ravishing him. Her enthusiasm this evening was almost enough to wear him out and that was saying something.

"The cherry blossoms are a nice touch," Kagome teased affectionately as she leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on his lips before pulling back and asking curiously, "Do they mean anything to you or are they just random?"

"Not sure," he admitted casually as he grinned up at her and reached up to cup her cheek, "Maybe….maybe it's about rebirth because of spring? Or maybe it's just a nice accent."

"Maybe. Is the tattoo the only thing an impress does besides bind our lives together?" Kagome asked as she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, "Don't get me wrong. I'm okay if that's the case but I'm just curious as to why you choose now to do it. Isn't it dangerous considering we're in a war? Seems kinda impulsive now that I think about it."

"Well, so…." Inuyasha began awkwardly as he dropped his hand and blushed furiously, "Okay, don't be angry but...but did you hear Sesshomaru say that imprinting could be reversed?"

"I don't remember that but from what you told me, I highly doubt that's possible," Kagome snorted as she rolled her eyes, "I mean, it's an instinct. You can't go against instinct, right?"

"I'm...so I've been thinking about it," Inuyasha admitted with a slightly sigh as he reached up and pulled her into his chest, "I'm not sure it's an instinct. I mean, yeah it kinda...kinda was forced upon me in the beginning and I didn't make a choice but… but… so… when you first arrived…"

Here he paused to gauge her reaction before continuing and with a slight sigh of relief when she didn't tense up he continued, "So when you first arrived, I wanted to protect you and… and I remember…. Well, there was a moment…not even a moment but… but holding you against me felt so…. _so_ right but I fought it. You were a servant and I was a lord and… and hell you'd been kidnapped and tortured and…and so I would never…..but then… then I imprinted. What… what if it was fate deciding I was being an idiot?"

Furrowing her brow, Kagome opened her mouth to reply before closing it again and sighing, "So what about Miroku or Ginta or Kohaku or even your father?"

"I've talked to Miroku a little about it," Inuyasha began slowly, "He was always intimidated by her. By her power and her general air. Apparently he'd like her since we were children but was never going to act on it because he knew her opinion of him. Ginta and my father? Well it's the same as you and me, isn't it? Different status in life making decisions for them instead of following their heart. Kohaku is….well _Kohaku_. He probably wouldn't know to chase after someone destined to be with him unless something or someone hit him over the head with a proverbial frying pan. Don't you think it's curious that the law specifically says that an imprinted child is given full blood status? Probably because all children born of an imprint come from imprudent matches."

"Why would fate care who you love? Are we assuming fate is like...a person or… or like a force?" Kagome asked curiously as her lips twitched upwards, "I mean, that would imply we're important, wouldn't it? That our purpose in life is to be with each other for the greater good or something, right?"

"Maybe or maybe fate just gets bored and likes messing with people's love lives," Inuyasha teased as he pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead, "Either way, I...I wanted the impress because imprinting aside, I love you. More than anything. I know it's true because I love you even when I'm human and my demonic instincts shouldn't control me the same way."

"So why fear that Sesshomaru might try to break it?" Kagome asked in a confused tone as she furrowed her brow, "If you love me…"

"I thought he might try to hurt you," Inuyasha replied in barely more than a whisper, "The impress...if… if your blood or even my blood is spilt on it…. we'd know immediately. I'll be able to find you and you me no matter the distance. And… and…. I wanted to make sure you'd heal like I do. It is more than just a _tattoo_ you know."

"You're so full of it," Kagome snorted even as her eyes softened and she gave him an affectionate smile, "You weren't thinking that at the time."

"Maybe," he teased as a faint blush bloosomed on his cheeks, "To be fair, like I said, I was afraid I might loose you. The other things were kinda an after thought."

"Knew it," Kagome hummed happily as she snuggled into him and closed her eyes, "Well maybe you're right about this whole imprinting thing. Maybe fate just wanted to lend a helping hand."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 _ **"MAI! TAKE THE CHILDREN AND GO! GO NOW!"** _Kyou screamed in a terrified tone as she stared up in horror as sister after sister met a bloody end. All around them curled tendrils beckoned the unknowing into to the realm and grotesque figures used some unknown magic to pull the very hearts out of mothers, children and elders before taking great wet bites. Then, oh and then, the freshly dead would stagger to their feet with unseeing eyes and continue the cycle. Half of the village had now fallen and these beasts moved with a unnatural quickness none of the living had a chance of matching.

It had happened with no warning. Before anyone had a chance to properful raise a defense or fully realize they were under attack, chaos had descended. Bloodcurdling screams that cut off unnaturally had been what sounded the alarm. Hundreds upon hundreds of foul smelling zombified bodies had scaled the walls with an inhuman grace before unleashing hell upon them. There was no explaining how they'd managed to get there so quickly or how their presence was completely undetected until it was too late.

"Yes, run little ones," a feminine yet completely inhuman voice chuckled darkly from directly behind her making a chill run down Kyou's spine, "You'll most certainly do."


	55. Not What It Looks Like

The sun had barely risen over the horizon as Kagome propped herself up to watch over her savior turned...husband. Or mate. Whichever or whatever they officially were now. As she brushed a few stray hairs out of his peacefully sleeping face, she couldn't help but smile softly before her attention focused on the floral marking that marred his otherwise flawless skin.

Mesmerized by its silver sheen and lost to wonderment in how intimately it connected herself with this unique man, her long fingers made their way towards his mark without command. Her movements only registered to her when those fingertips lightly brushed against the mark.

A sharp inhale followed by an unconsciously made moan made the former miko jump in surprise. Sapphire eyes quickly darted to the Hanyou's face only to find him peacefully sleeping. Well not peacefully but asleep nonetheless. His chest rising and falling rapidly as she tentatively continued tracing the slightly raised markings. His muscles seemed to cringe under her touch. His stomach tightening and his hips shifting involuntarily as he murmured nonsense amidst muffled moans. If she hadn't been watching his face so intently, she would've sworn he was awake.

His eyelids fluttered. A responsiveness entered his body, a flex of abdomen as his head was suddenly thrown back to offer up his throat. A long sigh escaped his lips as she continued tracing the curves of the mark - enthralled by his subconscious reaction to her touch. Then he emitted a startled gasp and sat bolt upright. Looking around with wild, slightly confused eyes until they landed squarely on her.

"Clothes off before I tear 'em off," he ordered with a hoarse desperation. Half joking, half deadly serious. His hand reached out to gently push aside the cloth covering her shoulder and with one light brush of his clawed finger, Kagome suddenly understood the reactions he'd been having.

"Shouldn't touch people when they're sleeping," he teased as he drank in her reaction and bit his lip to stifle the groan trying to escape. The half-smile she gave him was both guilty and pleased as she gently shrugged out of her sleeping yukata until she was bare before him.

Their first coupling was frantic and rough. InuYasha pushed her down and braced his hands on the hard wooden floor. He hooked his knees outside her legs and drove himself deeper. The whole thing couldn't have lasted more than five minutes. In all honesty, probably less than three. They both shuddered in ecstasy before a wicked smile bloomed on his face when her fingers once again traced his mark.

"You do realize what that does," he teased as he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers, "What that does to _me_."

"Maybe," she replied sheepishly as she blushed under his heated gaze. In mere seconds, he mounted her again. He drove himself harder into her. Harder than before. She was whining with pleasure and he was filled with well earned male pride. He paid special attention to where her mark began on her shoulder. Sliding his tongue across it seductively, loving every moan he elicited from her. At some point, he slowed. Pushing her knees up higher to change the angle. He was almost there but then again, so was she.

Shuddering once more, they both panted as he gently lowered her legs to the ground before he lay flush with her body. Gently kissing her lips in between muttered words of affection.

"You never said these marks did _that,"_ Kagome chided playfully. Her face flushed and sweaty. She looked positively ravished as he was sure he did as well.

"Didn't think I needed to," he chuckled lightly as he rolled onto his side and drew her into a loose embrace, "Not my fault someone decided to touch me in my sleep. Was having some pretty interesting dreams from it."

"Were you now," Kagome chuckled playfully as she rolled her eyes earning a tired yet bemused chuckle from him in response, "Better than reality?"

"Never," he cooed as he tightened his arms across her waist. Despite it being early morning and the arduous task they were meant to undertake today, they both succumbed to exhaustion moments later.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kohaku blinked slowly in the early morning sun before jumping as he took in his position. Or rather the position a certain girl of his wildest imaginings had taken sometime during the night. Her head resting ever so innocently in his lap. Her hand resting on his thigh. Inhaling sharply, his panicked eyes darted towards the daiyoukai who was watching him intently with what could only be described as disapproval on his face.

"I'm sorry," Kohaku blurted before he could stop himself - a wave of unwanted and unsolicited sadness washing through him with all the force of a tsunami. With a shuddering sob, he continued to apologize in between muffled apologies. Murmurs of ' _don't know why_ ' and ' _can't stop_ ' escaped him as he continued to sob uncontrollably. The knowledge that his apparent and sudden dysfunction in front of the man he needed to garner approval from made for a dangerous cocktail. His sobs escalated until his entire body was trembling and he buried his face in his hands in an attempt to hide his shame.

Rin had begun to stir as his body trembled but unlike everyone else who had been so rudely awoken, she seemed to possess a strange calm about her. Reaching towards him, she gently pried his fingers away from his face and cupped his trembling chin in her hand.

"You're okay," she cooed as she ran her thumb across his cheek, "You're okay."

Shaking his head almost imperceptibly, he hated that he couldn't stop the tears streaming down his face. He couldn't stop. Couldn't stop those traitorous salty drops anymore than he could stop the sun from rising over the horizon. To make matters worse, those apparitions in his mind seemed to take that opportunity to jump into reality and began fussing over him as well.

"Go away," he mumbled miserably as he stared over Rin's shoulder, "Go away."

Rin tilted her head curiously as she too glanced over her shoulder. There was nothing there. Not that she could see anyway. Obviously, though, Kohaku saw something there.

"Go away," Rin began slowly as she narrowed her eyes angrily at nothing before casting a nervous glance at the boy who was now staring at her with something akin to shock. Taking a deep breath, she turned her attention back to the nothingness, "You're bothering him. Go away."

Eyes widening in shock, Kohaku watched as the figures only he could see rolled their eyes and faded away. His eyes darted wildly around the spot where they had been mere moments before in utter disbelief. And then he did something neither he or Rin could have possibly anticipated. He leaned forward and kissed her. Before just as suddenly pulling back and averting his eyes.

"Sorry," he mumbled breathlessly as he took a chance anxious glance at the daiyoukai who seemed to be...confused and mildly alarmed, "You...they're gone. They listened to you."

"Good," Rin responded shyly as one hand reached up to touch her lips lightly. A sheepish smile graced her visage before it fell and she turned her eyes towards her Lord who wasn't looking at them. He was looking exactly at the spot Kohaku had been staring at mere seconds before. Until he whipped his head to meet the young baku's gaze headon.

"How long have you seen them?" the daiyoukai hissed in an uncharacteristically alarmed tone, "Do you realize who they are?"

Shaking his head, it took Kohaku a moment to process what was happening. Someone else saw them. Truly saw them. Enough to know something he clearly didn't.

"I don't know. I've...I've always seen them," he replied shakily after a moment as he cast a worried glance at Rin, "They're...they're not real though. I know they're not..."

"Those are not mere hallucinations," the daiyoukai snapped with no lack of bite, "Now speak true, have they told you their names? Their status?"

"Status?" Kohaku replied - more bewildered than ever, "Why would...why would they have _status_? _Who_ are they? _What_ are they? I don't understand."

" _Clearly_ ," Sesshomaru huffed in exasperation as he abruptly stood and moved to exit the small hut. Pausing but for a moment, he glared at Sota who had merely been watching with a confused gaze of his own, "You will release me. I have important matters to address."

Nodding numbly, Sota stood and began escorting the intimidating lord towards the edge of the barrier - too terrified and confused to ask for any explanation.


	56. You're Gunna Kill Him

His eyes had not deceived him. They _had_ been there. Relics of a time he almost couldn't remember. In truth, it had taken him several moments to fully process what he was seeing. The figures literally came into existence out of seemingly nowhere and instantly began trying to comfort the boy so taken with his Rin. Perhaps there was more to his insanity. Perhaps...perhaps he wasn't insane at all.

"What the literal fuck are you doing out here!?" came his brother's voice over the blistering wind. He hadn't even noticed the torrent around him - whipping his long silver mane about his body and rustling his clothes. His mind had been elsewhere. Far elsewhere.

"This Sesshomaru would speak with you concerning the young baku," the daiyoukai announced as he continued to glide gracefully over the ice and snow, "There has been a development that may work to our advantage."

Groaning, Inuyasha cast a longing glance at the hut and crinkled his nose. He really didn't want to discuss anything with that bastard. It was largely his fault all of this was even happening. That they'd lost their domain, their status, their _home_. Not to mention countless lives. The death count was still mounting as the humans slayed every demon who was unfortunate enough to cross their path. He also didn't want to stand out here in the cold or let him anywhere _near_ Kagome. He hadn't forgotten what she told him that night. That she died and they brought her back. Only one demon had that ability. Just the one. Now that she had finally come to him after so many months of waiting - almost fully rebounded - he really didn't want to send her spiraling downward again.

Still, despite all of that, Sesshomaru had saved his wards and for that, he owed the bastard a debt. With a heavy, resigned sigh, Inuyasha nodded once as he came out into the cold frigid air to speak with him. His shirtless appearance seeming like a terrible mistake in hindsight but he didn't intend for this conversation to last very long. And then Kagome could warm him up.

"Start talking. It's freezing out here," Inuyasha snapped as he folded his arms across his chest - half to seem rather indifferent and half to keep some of his body warmth. The daiyoukai glanced at his brother's indecent attire before glancing around at the various huts to ensure that no one was listening.

"Father and your mother reside within the young baku," Sesshomaru spoke in a calm, collected tone, "As do his parents. His insanity may merely be the result of demonic possession."

"Wait, wait, wait," Inuyasha snorted incredulously as he stared at his bastard brother like he'd grown a second head, "I've known Kohaku his entire life. If he is possessed, how come none of us ever saw that? Why you?"

"You forget the weapon father bequeathed his eldest son," Sesshomaru replied - barely audible over the blistering wind, "As a result, I see many things that are invisible to the eye. The dead included."

"So what you're saying," Inuyasha sighed heavily as he took one hand and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Is that Kohaku is actually seeing things and those things are actually real ghosts or some shit?"

"In so many words," Sesshomaru hummed in a disapproving tone, "Perhaps Lady Sango may have more insight into the behavior of her kind. If memory serves correctly, the young baku was present at the time of his parents and your mother's demise. There is a dark power residing in him. An ability to devour souls. Perhaps even to kill for that pleasure."

"Wait, are you implying what I think you are?!" Inuyasha scoffed indignantly as he crinkled his nose in disgust, "Mother wasn't killed by him. He may be crazy but he's not a _murderer_!"

"That remains to be seen," Sesshomaru replied indifferently before casting a quick glance between the highly detailed imprint on the half-breeds chest and the hut where Kagome resided, "So you have mated the miko?"

"What's it to you?" Inuyasha snarled as he took a pointed step to place himself between the bastard and his mate, "You step one foot near here and I'll kill you where you stand. You've already hurt her enough. I know what you did. Kidnapping a girl is one thing but killing her and bringing her back? That's sick. That's so sick. If you hadn't saved my wards, I would've killed you the second I laid eyes on your sorry ass."

"I shall not dishonor myself by denying it and it is still within your right to seek vengeance," the daiyoukai replied in that infuriatingly calm tone as he arched a single brow in silent challenge, "You may attempt to dispatch me at your leisure."

Inuyasha could feel the warning growl rolling in his chest even as the bastard turned and began walking back to the hut where they were keeping the others who had arrived with him. How dare he?! How dare he do that to Kagome!? Shit, to _anyone_!? How dare he accuse Kohaku of murdering his own parents and Mother?! Closing his eyes, he exhaled deeply through his nose to try to steady his nerves before returning to the warm bed where Kagome awaited him. He imagined she already felt a spark of his anger just as he felt a spark of her worry. There were so many things he didn't know about this damn imprint bullshit and his head was already spinning from everything going on.

But if Sesshomaru thought for one second he was going to let him hurt Kohaku, he had another thing coming.

"I need to tell Sango," he mumbled miserably to himself as he pouted slightly and cast a longing glance at the warm, inviting hut. So much for cuddling until it was time to fetch the wolf demons. This day was already shot straight to hell.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I feel as though it is necessary for me to accompany them," Miroku sighed heavily as Sango huffed in frustration and opened her mouth to speak. Holding up a single hand to silence her, Miroku groaned before speaking again, "It is my gift to control the elements. That includes snow and ice. The blizzard rages on. If I accompany them, the journey will go much faster and easier. I must go. Otherwise, what use am I?"

"There is a angry bat shit phantom out there with an axe to grind!" Sango hissed as she threw her hands up in frustration, "I don't want any of you to go but Inuyasha and Ginta are just as stubborn as you! Why do men have to be so..."

"Sango, you better be decent 'cause I have..." Inuyasha huffed as the sliding door was flung open at exactly the wrong time. Sango was already shooting daggers and Miroku was cringing.

"So...this seems like a bad time," Inuyasha began slowly as he took a dramatic step back out the door, "Um...I'll just..."

"You're going to stay right here," Sango hissed as she narrowed her eyes in silent challenge, "You're going to explain why Miroku shouldn't go with you."

"Oh, he wants to go with us?" Inuyasha chuckled nervously as he grimaced and swallowed thickly. In all honesty, he hadn't seen Sango's wrath - true wrath - for a few decades and the fact that he could almost feel the heat from her internal flame was doing nothing to settle his nerves. Especially considering what he'd come to tell her. What he needed to tell her.

"So about that," Inuyasha coughed lightly as he reluctantly pulled the one foot out of the door back inside and slowly closed the door, "I think we need to put off going for a few days."

"Because of the storm?" Sango huffed - although he could tell some of her ire was already fading. For the moment. Oh boy.

"Well, so you see..." Inuyasha began as he cringed and scratched the back of his neck - reluctant to sit down because he had a feeling he was about to get his ass kicked. He really shouldn't have let Sesshomaru go back to the Quarantine hut. That was stupid in hindsight. So stupid.

"I see what?" Sango asked suspiciously as she narrowed her eyes and the hanyou flinched at her tone.

"Um, so apparently Kohaku is seeing things," Inuyasha tried again as he tried to phrase his next words very carefully. He was already treading on thin ice as it was.

"I knew that," Sango sighed in a resigned tone as she pinched the bridge of his nose, "What'd he do now?"

"Well, the things he's seeing may actually be...uh...well Sesshomaru saw them too," Inuyasha coughed awkwardly as he stared at the ceiling like it was the most interesting thing he'd ever seen. Sango's eyes grew large in disbelief and her mouth fell open as Inuyasha continued, "He thinks...Sesshomaru thinks they're your parents and mine. Says he saw them."

"That's not possible," Sango breathed as she furrowed her brow, "It's not possible."

"So he...uh...I thought I'd beat him to it," Inuyasha barreled ahead - fully intent on going down with his pride intact. She was going to kick his ass. Thoroughly. But still he needed an answer to give that bastard, "Can baku eat souls?"

"What?" Sango asked incredulously before her mouth fell open and rage overtook her features, "He thinks Kohaku _killed_ them?!"

"Well, uh, he implied it but..." the hanyou chuckled nervously as he finally chanced a glance at the woman who looked like she was about to kill him or Sesshomaru or both. "I just need a yes or no. Don't kill the messenger."

"He _didn't_ kill them," Sango hissed defensively before sighing heavily and closing her eyes in pain, "But yes. Baku possess the ability to devour souls once they have left the body."

"So it might be true then," Inuyasha sighed in defeat as he swore softly and aggravatedly ran his hand through his hair, "God dammit. I know Sesshomaru already thinks the worst of you guys. He hates baku."

"He hates everything," Sango groaned as Miroku merely glanced between them with a slightly confused look, "But yeah, I know what you're talking about."

"Wait, so...so Kohaku's visions are really him seeing the undead?" Miroku asked meekly - feeling like a complete idiot. Sometimes imprinting was the worst and in that moment, he realized there was sooooo much he didn't know about baku. Powers and abilities foreign to him. His gifts were rather cut and dry. Elements were very specific and predictable. Baku apparently could eat souls. That was something good to know. In all honest, he didn't know all that much about baku. No one did that wasn't a baku themselves. So it was that Miroku found himself blurting out, "Have you ever eaten a soul?"

"How can you even ask me that?!" Sango squealed as she delivered a resounding slap across his face and huffed, "No I haven't eaten a fucking soul. I'm not a monster!"

"But Kohaku apparently did and he's not a monster either," Inuyasha pointed out with a resigned sigh - stilling Sango's hand as she pulled it back again. In that moment, they looked at each other and another sick realization hit them. If it was true. If Kohaku ate those souls as they departed their hosts. He had been a child. Worse, a toddler who wasn't even aware of what he was doing. Sango knew from personal experience that sometimes souls would call out in a song very few could understand or hear to those they love. Perhaps they called out to him as they prepared for their departure.

"No," Sango admitted quietly as she lowered her comically raised hand slowly into her lap and groaned, "I don't know how to fix that if it is true. I don't even know where to start."

"Have you ever seen them? His visions? Or anyone in the village?" Inuyasha asked quietly - as Miroku rubbed one hand over his sore cheek. Sango shook her head.

"Sesshomaru said it was his sword that helped him see," Inuyasha spoke up after a tense silent moment, "But if you can eat souls..."

Eyes widening slightly as he heard her scoff softly, "In theory. In theory if a baku has the ability to eat souls, shouldn't you be able to see them?"

"I don't know how that works. Maybe you have to have eaten a soul to see them or maybe only the possessor of that soul is capable," Sango sighed heavily as she buried her face in her hands, "Sesshomaru is going to try to kill him, isn't he?"


	57. Betrayal

It had come to this. After they had been through so much together, he must betray her and break his word. There was no other way. No other option. If only she would _listen_ , he wouldn't have to do this. But she _didn't_ listen.

And so, taking a deep breath, Inuyasha extended one hand and ripped the warm blanket off the love of his life. The sudden cold earned a squeal of horror and misery quickly followed by a very angry pouty face.

"You took the blanket! How _dare_ you!? You said you'd give me a few more minutes!" Kagome huffed in frustration as her bottom lip trembled and she held out one hand expectantly, "Give it back."

"I said you need to get up and you kept saying _'in a little bit'._ It's been _hours_ ," Inuyasha teased defensively as he held the thick blanket just out of reach, "You left me no choice! If I'd let you keep sleeping, we'd _never_ leave the hut and it's _already_ mid-day!"

For a moment, she continued pouting as she stared him down before sighing in defeat and positioning herself onto her knees.

"Still you could've given me more warning," she complained half-heartedly as she sent him a half-amused, half-annoyed glare and sighed, "Besides, I thought we weren't even going anymore because of Kohaku. Aren't we supposed to leave _tomorrow_?"

"Well Sango is handling Kohaku and Miroku is going to fly us all there and back. You'll be back under your precious blanket by dinner," Inuyasha soothed with an indifferent shrug, "And you can't just sleep all day. That's all we've been doing."

"What's wrong with being lazy every once in a while," Kagome sighed as she finally got to her feet and began collecting her clothing. As she shrugged on the heavier outer cloak that the villagers had generously provided her, she glanced at Inuyasha who was folded up the blanket ever so neatly and placing it back on the futon. Sometimes he was so _particular. Everything_ had to have its place. His mother's things, for example, he'd meticulously organized with such care in the chest he'd brought with him - which _thankfully_ had been spared in the insanity that brought them here. It varied though she'd found. If he was stressed or ill, his tendency to fold or organize _everything_ was virtually non-existent. That month she'd cared for him had been difficult and she'd primarily cleaned up but that had more to do with the fact that he couldn't move than that he was an inherently messy person. He was also rather minimalist. Very few material things mattered to him. His sword being the primary item he always had with him. His mother's lip stain, kimono and fan. A small painting of him with his mother and father. And...that was pretty much _it_. Unlike a few others who had survived, he never bemoaned the loss of his expensive lodgings. In fact, he almost seemed to be _glad_ to not be in the fortress any longer. She could only venture to guess why and she'd been too shy to ask him about it but she definitely could tell he breathed a little easier now than he had in the past. Although...she wasn't around enough before he got ill to really know. Maybe it was just the stress of her condition and then his illness that caused the tension in his muscles. There was so much about him she didn't know. So much wasted time where she was left to her own miserable devices.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" he suddenly asked with a hint of amusement - his ears flicking slightly as he furrowed his brow, "It's weird. Stop it."

"Just thinking," Kagome responded with a soft laugh as she returned her full intention to getting ready, "I didn't mean to stare."

"Is it because I folded the blanket?" he asked curiously before a sly smile bloomed on his face, "Or is it that I'm so irresistibly handsome you can't look away?"

"Both," Kagome responded playfully as she sighed and reached for the small bow she used now before pausing and glancing at the wall behind her with a worried look on her face. There was something coming. Something evil. She could feel it's aura coming closer and closer at a steady pace. Probably still some distance away but...

"You sense it too?" Inuyasha suddenly whispered harshly as he came to stand beside her, "It smells like corpses but...but..."

"They're moving," Kagome finished for him just as something blew into the hut in the blink of an eye making Kagome squawk and Inuyasha reflexively moving to snatch the sudden invader. Which turned out to be Sango who it turned out could easily avoid being snatched thusly.

"Dammit Sango!" Inuyasha swore as he relaxed his stance and rolled his eyes, "Stop _doing_ that!"

"Oh shut it! This is important," Sango breathed anxiously as she grimaced and furrowed her brow, "The men in the watch tower just sited about a hundred people, maybe more, advancing towards here and I'm sure you can smell that stench."

"Ginta and Koga are going to be pissed," Inuyasha groaned as he wrinkled his nose in disgust, "I definitely smell some dead wolf in the mix. It's mainly human but they've got dead demons in their numbers too."

"You can smell _that_?" Kagome breathed in both awe and horror, "But that shouldn't be possible. How can they be dead but advancing?"

"That is an excellent question," Sango agreed as she closed her eyes and shook her head miserably, "A better one is how do we kill something that's already dead."

For a moment, they were quiet as the gravity of the situation weighed heavily on their minds. With a small gasp, however, it was Kagome who broke the silence.

"Sesshomaru can bring the dead back, right? He did it to me already. Maybe he could do that to them? Bring them back? Maybe they're not bad and just under a spell," Kagome blurted out in one breath before cringing slightly when Sango's eyes bugged out of her head.

"Wait, you _**died**_?!" Sango hissed angrily as her eyes flashed a frightening crimson and her head whipped back towards the door, "That...that..."

"Let's not dwell on particulars," Inuyasha spluttered in a mildly panicked tone as he cast Kagome a worried glance that said many things. That he was worried this line of questioning would send the miko back into her depression or remind her of that trauma. That he didn't exactly want Sango to know that bit of information as she was prone to rash decisions at times. That he didn't want Sesshomaru to enact vengence as he saw fit. That...

"Anyway, so you said a hundred?" Inuyasha continued in a higher pitch anxious tone as he subconsciously stepped between Kagome and his oldest friend, "That's..."

"Sesshomaru killed me after I was tortured to death," Kagome interrupted in a detached matter of fact tone - that was surprisingly and disturbingly calm, "Anyway, what matters is that is one possibility. Are there any _other_ suggestions or ideas?"

"Not right now," Sango replied slowly as her eyes slowly faded back into their natural chestnut color and she sent an irked glare at Inuyasha, "But we will discuss this later. We need to confer with the others."

"Don't waste energy on talking about _me_ later," Kagome sighed in that same detached tone as she walked around them towards the door, "I've moved past it and so should you."

Neither Sango or Inuyasha believed it. Casting each other a nervous glance, they both followed the miko out of the hut. Praying that there was another solution to the encroaching undead horde but more importantly, that their miko wouldn't have a nervous break down after all the progress she'd made.


	58. Sirens

Alarms blasted throughout the small encampment with such ferocity it was hard to believe it was merely just a series of horned trumpets. If it were such a thing in their world, the ungodly sound might well have been described as a tsunami siren from hell but as it were, it was unlike any sound any of them had ever heard in their lifetime.

 ** _"What the literal fuck is that!?"_** Inuyasha swore loudly as his hands flew up to cover his sensitive ears. They had barely covered any ground when the unholy sound began making their eardrums bleed. A few huts from their origin, maybe more.

 ** _"They're at the gate"_** a familiar voice barely could be heard above the screams that now joined into the heart-stopping sound still blaring through the fortress. The source quickly appeared – seemingly out of thin air – next to Kagome, who was turning green and had her eyes clenched tightly shut as she pressed her hands against the sides of her head.

 ** _"We knew they were close so what the fuck is up with these alarms?!"_** Inuyasha barked back angrily as he gave the baku a side-eyed glare. She had left mere minutes before to look out to gauge how far the undead horde was from their location.

 ** _"It's a defense measure. Slows down most demons and humans,"_** Sango called back as she began rummaging in her pockets and gave the human woman next to her a sympathetic glance. Removing a small putty like mixture, she pinched off a small piece between her claws before gently prying Kagome's hands away from her head and stuffing the putty into each ear one at a time.

Adjusting her jaw several times to pop her now congested and possibly bleeding ears, Kagome sighed in relief as the sound became much more bearable. Nodding once in approval, Sango quickly moved to Inuyasha and repeated the gesture.

 ** _"This will help block out the sound,"_** Sango apologized loudly as she stuffed the putty back into the small container from whence it came, **_"It's a specialized clay we've developed here to fight auditory battle tactics. You know, sonar and the like. Very common amongst bat demons."_**

 ** _"Is everyone getting this shit or are we just that special?"_** Inuyasha clipped back as he reached up to massage his somewhat sore ears. Rolling her chocolate eyes, Sango gestured behind her at the numerous other baku issuing the same substance.

 ** _"Everyone gets it but you have the special privilege of me giving it to you,"_** Sango laughed before gagging and wrinkling her nose, **_"Nothing we can do for that stench though."_**

Oh, the stench was indeed particularly gruesome. A mixture of rotten meat, rancid milk, sulfur and sweat – the scent filtered through their nostrils in a pungent, almost tangible fog. It wasn't just the scent of corpses. That was something that both Sango and Inuyasha had immense experience with. This stench was something entirely new and entirely unnatural.

 ** _"You said they're at the gate? How many are we dealing with?"_** Inuyasha finally asked hoarsely – the stench making him turn as green as his mate. He was making an effort to only breathe through his mouth but it wasn't making much of a difference. That smell permeated every layer of thin air in these high mountains.

 ** _"The entire wolf demon tribe you were supposed to rescue today,"_** Sango began slowly as she met her oldest friend's horrified gaze, **_"And at least two hundred humans. Mostly priests and priestesses from what's left of their clothes. All dead."_**

 ** _"And Kikyo,"_** Kagome sighed heavily as she stared at the high wooden walls and bit her lip. Inuyasha and Sango exchanged a worried glance for a moment before the hanyou moved closer to his mate.

 _"This isn't your fault,"_ he murmured just loud enough for her to hear over the fray as he gave her a knowing look, _"You don't have to be the one to…"_

 ** _"What do you know about it?! She died for me! She's after me! She's killed all these people for me! If I just go talk to her…"_** Kagome began heatedly as she set her jaw and glared – a nerve visibly throbbing in her temple as she continued, **_"If I go talk to her, then maybe we can avoid more bloodshed!"_**

 ** _"And if you die?!"_** Inuyasha scoffed incredulously as he gripped her arm tightly and growled, **_"Kagome, that's stupid! She's probably just going to kill you. She ain't gunna listen to anything you have to say."_**

 ** _"Well too many have died on my account. I don't care if I die if it means others will live,"_** Kagome clipped back tersely as she ripped her arm out of his vice grip, **_"I never asked for this. Any of it. I didn't ask to be kidnapped or raped or tortured. I didn't ask to die and be brought back any more than any of these poor souls. I didn't ask to meet you or Sango or Miroku or anybody here but I'll be damned if I let you guys die for me!"_**

 ** _"Kagome if you go out there, she'll control you just like she did Sota. Like Miroku and I,"_** Sango cut in with an understanding tone ** _, "There is…"_**

 ** _"I'm not…"_** Kagome began heatedly before four figures began walking calmly through the fray towards them. Kohaku, Rin, Sota and Sesshomaru were walking towards them like nothing was happening around them. With a single vision of speaking to them.

 ** _"It is time we use the advantage we possess,"_** the daiyoukai spoke as he arrived to stand before the perturbed looking Inuyasha.

 ** _"What the fuck are you talking about? There's an army of undead motherfuckers at our gate so I don't really have the…"_** Inuyasha began heatedly as he moved to stand between his brother and Kagome, "

 ** _"You were always headstrong,"_** Sesshomaru sighed heavily before a very determined look overcame his features, **_"Perhaps I phrased my request too leniently. We shall use the advantage which I discussed with you."_**

 ** _"_ _What advantage?! Your fucking sword?!_ _"_** Inuyasha countered angrily before cringing when a new onslaught of alarms blasted through the fortress. Continuing angrily, he missed the gasp of realization from Sango and the way Kohaku closed his eyes to focus, **_"Now whatever it is you can shove it up your…"_**

There are moments that define us all. Our first words. First steps. Making your first friend. Being told your mother has died by your obnoxious older brother. Your first battle. Your first kill. Losing your mind to your own blood and forgetting who you are. Meeting a tortured young woman. Having her steal your heart.

Seeing your deceased mother, your deceased father, your deceased best friend's parents materialize into thin air before you. That was a defining moment indeed and one Inuyasha was entirely unprepared to handle. Mostly because he had just plain forgotten in this latest fresh hell.


	59. No Sentimentality For the Dead

Loose chestnut hairs fluttered on the breeze as the baku stared down at the masses. Men and women alike scuttled past her in preparation of the battle to come. Despite the urgency of those around her, she stayed silent and unmoving as she took in the scene before her.

After all the losses they'd suffered, there was no more sentimentality for the dead. Sango recognized various insignia of the various houses and tribes draped grotesquely over the rotting flesh of the beings below. Not one was missing. Perhaps their bodies had been stolen from whence they fell at the fortress or perhaps they were unlucky enough to have been caught during the retreat. With a shaky sigh, she realized many were children. Some with toys still held in their cold dead hands. Not all of them were demons either. There were quite a few humans in the mix. Mostly priests, the baku noted with morbid satisfaction, but also just average villagers who appeared to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whomever they had been in life, however, didn't matter now. They were the enemy. Plain and simple.

Hundreds, maybe even thousands, of filmy, yellowing eyes stared blankly up at her. The life that had dwelt within them gone and their souls safe from the perils of this world. Each one of them had injuries inflicted in life with purple and brown seepage dried onto their lifeless skin. From various orafices crawled maggots and the exposed mottled flesh showed signs of gnawing from rodents. Swarms of black flies hummed around the walking corpses - their source of food unflinching, their presence unnoticed.

"Oh god," InuYasha breathed as he came to stand beside her and gagged from the overwhelming scent of decay on the wind, "Fuck. _All_ of them really are..."

"Dead. Yes," Sango replies grimly as she let out a shaky sigh, "It shouldn't be possible."

"Doesn't really matter if it's possible or not. They're here," InuYasha countered grimly before swallowing thickly and giving his oldest friend a side-eyed glance, "If this goes south, I need you to make me a promise."

"I know you've soul bonded yourself to Kagome. I'm not surprised by the way and I'm...I'm happy for you both," Sango commented knowingly - her lips forming a thin, hard line, "But we all know why they're here. I don't see this ending well for you. Especially because I know you. Nothing I can say will make you walk away."

"You don't even know what I was going to have you promise," InuYasha snorted as he rolled his eyes and blushed, "If this goes south, leave us. Kagome and I. Take everyone and go. There's no helping this."

"Wait," Sango choked as she turned her head to gape openly at the hanyou, "You want me to do _what now_?"

"I was stupid. Got caught up in the moment. Not that I regret the bond but...but we should've waited," InuYasha huffed as he scratched his nose and averted his eyes, "And yeah. They're here to kill me and take her. I've already talked to Kagome about it and she agrees. Neither of us want any more people to die. If it looks like we're losing, go and take everyone with you. Kagome and I...we'll give you guys a head start."

"Fuck you," Sango spat angrily as she wrinkled her nose in disgust, "You expect me to leave you both stranded here to save _my_ sorry ass."

"Fuck you right back," InuYasha countered, "I'm trying to save _everyone_ not just you, you selfish bitch."

"Fuck..." Sango began before letting out a shaky sigh and deflating. Closing her eyes in pain, she shook her head and began again in a soft, pleading tone, "I just...I _can't_ leave you like that. Ask Miroku or anyone else but not me."

"Miroku will follow your lead and I trust you more than anyone else here," InuYasha replied apologetically and he gave her a sad, affectionate smile, "You are the leader of your tribe. They'll listen to you if you sound the retreat."

"Please don't ask that of me," Sango pleaded softly as she gripped his arm in earnest, "You're my oldest, dearest friend. More than that. You're a brother to me. I _can't_ leave you behind."

"And I can't watch you die," InuYasha responded sadly before looking out over the unnervingly still army of the undead, "Or watch you become one of them."

"And you're both talking in hypotheticals which I find rather defeatist honestly," came a snarky voice breaking the tender moment, "You're both assuming we're going to lose. I, on the other hand, have no intention of dying anytime soon."

"Shiori," InuYasha groaned as he set his jaw and glared at the young woman being supported by her ever dutiful wolf demon mate, "You shouldn't be up here."

"Oh I'm _sorry_. Anyone else capable of producing a powerful barrier that can repel spiritual and physical attacks?" the little bat snorted sarcastically before letting out a bitter laugh and rolling her eyes, "Okay, how about someone that isn't a target? You want to let Kagome or her kid brother who has already been possessed once take up this mantle? They'll get taken out in an instant."

"I can't lose you either," InuYasha pointed out dryly, "You'll get a target on your back by doing this and you're not recovered yet. You can't cast a barrier _and_ defend yourself."

"And what am I, chopped liver?" Ginta scoffed in a mock offense as he grinned stupidly at the hanyou, " _What_? You thought I'd leave her up here _alone_? Never."

"I'll cast a barrier that'll stop them from coming in," Shiori continued defiantly as Ginta set her down on a wooden crate, "For as long as I can. This will give all of you some time to prepare."

"And what if it can't stop the undead?" Sango countered, "What then?"

"Flesh is flesh. It'll stop them," Shiori retorted with a simple shrug, "Anyway, you two should step to it. I highly doubt these _things_ are going to..."

Almost on cue, a loud clap of thunder echoed ominously in the distance despite the crisp blue of the sky overhead. The sickening sound of hundreds of stiffened necks cracking as they turned their monstrous heads towards the sound echoed off the mountains in response. Shiori quickly reacted throwing up a shimmering barrier even as an ominous voice echoed throughout their fortress.

" _Give me the girl known as Kagome and none shall be harmed. Give me the girl and we shall leave you in peace. You have until sundown."_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"No," InuYasha scoffed defiantly as Kagome tender and opened her mouth yet again to offer her surrender, "No. We're not doing that."

The mood of those gathered in the makeshift war room suddenly shifted to a seemingly impossible darker one, drawing out such powerful tastes of malicious intent that Inuyasha felt bitter and dry of all emotions. Of course, those loyal to him were opposed to the plan but others and unfortunately the majority were all for it. If they had their way, they'd throw Kagome to these bastards and be done with it. No matter the consequences. It was clear none of them had any love for the miko or her half-demon lover who'd brought this hell down upon them. A hell inflicted - in part - from nearly a century of abusing the humans and stealing young women from their homes for their own sick amusement. That, of course, was conveniently forgotten. They were eager to point the finger at anyone other than themselves.

"For once I agree with you," Sesshomaru interrupted those bitter thoughts before pausing and continuing, "Especially considering we have a secret weapon."

This simple statement caught everyone's attention. Where had this weapon been when the palace had been under attack? The general distrust of Sesshomaru had most certainly been fanned into a flame since the palace's destruction. Blame that unfortunately spilled out onto the younger brother who had done his best to avoid disaster. Forgotten was the other lords and ladies set on sabotaging any attempts at reconciliation with the humans. It was one family to blame for this turn of events. Especially considering who the undead were apparently after. Over a century of good will born between their tribes washed away by that simple ultimatum. Their hospitality in allowing refugees into their home all but wiped out in that instant. Several of the baku elders looked mad enough to spit and a few were spending their time glaring at the young miko who had yet to notice their intent to sacrifice her for the greater good.

"A secret weapon?" InuYasha snorted as he gave his brother a long, side-eyed glare, "Care to share with the group?"

"The young Kohaku is not mad," Sesshomaru offered as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, "He is merely possessed."

The baku elders who were already bordering on mutiny erupted into outraged rabble while the other lords including the wolves and other demons that had made it to the fortress looked more confused than ever. After all, they were unfamiliar with the baku they had perhaps heard of but never seen.

"Well I do believe he is a little mad, my Lord," Rin chimed in with a bemused tone as she affectionately patted the young baku's thigh, "Being possessed so long tends to do that but that is okay and not his fault."

It was an unusual end to this line of statements and one that earned several odd looks from those that knew the young baku well. After all, they'd been there to see his descent into madness first hand for over a century while this girl had known him scarcely a week. Not that they blamed the young baku for his madness. Of course not. It wasn't his fault but that didn't mean the sudden allegation that he was possessed was one to be so readily accepted. Still, it was the young baku who looked down at the young woman with a mixture of awe and confusion. It wasn't that he was offended by the remark but rather shocked by the affectionate tone and ready acceptance. She wasn't put off by his obvious madness but seemed to have just accepted it as part of him without shying away. Whatever anyone's particular thoughts on the matter might have been, however, they were quickly overshadowed by the outrage of others.

"Wait, he's _possessed_? You expect me to believe that?! I'm his sister and not once has he ever mentioned _that_ ," Sango scoffed indignantly as she glanced at her younger brother who looked just as surprised as she felt. That statement wasn't quite true and felt dirty in her mouth as soon as they left her lips. He had admitted, more or less, that he saw visions of men and women. That voices whispered in his mind. In all honesty, a pang of guilt hit her stomach as she realized that she never asked him more about them. Intent on making sure he knew they weren't real. Could it be that she had failed him? That for all these years he could've been healed by the simple performance of an exorcism? In a mixture of misplaced guilt and complete skepticism, she continued hotly, "By what, pray tell, is possessing him? Why can you see it and no one else?!"

"And how is that a weapon?" InuYasha huffed in frustration to which the other demons murmured in agreement.

"For one who believes himself to be so wise, you are blind to the truth," Sesshomaru replied coldly earning a patient yet irked look from the hanyou, "The spirits of father, your human mother and the baku's parents reside within him. A short discussion with them revealed they held back the main poltergeist we are facing to allow the young baku and my ward to escape."

"You talked to them?" Inuyasha asked skeptically, "To these ghosts who conveniently only showed themselves to you. Anyone else see..."

"So you want to send Kohaku out there in the hopes he has any type of control over these spirits no one else can see?" Sango interrupted indignantly as she cast a worried look at her bewildered looking brother before hissing menancingly, "That seems like _such_ a good plan! _Whatever_ could go wrong!?"

"I agree with Lady Sango," Koga chimed in skeptically as his mate nodded in agreement, "That seems completely too risky. I also concur with Lord InuYasha in that turning over the young miko into their numbers is in no way fool proof. It could merely be a trap to have us lower our guard and, in case you haven't noticed, we would lose one of our most powerful warriors if they were to kill her. They are imprinted. Fully."

" _Recently_ you mean," a baku elder snapped angrily as he glared at the hanyou, "Fucking like rabbits these past few days and thought this was the time to do it! They knew what was coming and did it anyway! I don't see the point in trying to save their sorry hides due to their bad judgment when there are hundreds of innocents here. They brought this madness to our doorstep! Turn over the miko. You heard her! She's willing to do it!"

"Kikyou doesn't plan on letting any of us live," Sota chimed in from the corner where he'd been standing silently, "Believe me. She lived in my head for months. She wants all demons to pay for what happened to her. It's not about Kagome. It's a trap."

"And how do we know you're even on our side?! You might still be under the bitch's influence," the baku elder screeched in outrage, "And of course you want to save your whore of a sister!"

"Who are you calling a whore?!" InuYasha bellowed angrily as he leaned forward menacingly, "She is my mate! Show her some god damn respect!"

"Respect is earned!" the elder baku snarled as he slammed his hands down on the wooden table with such force it cracked, "Come on boy. I may be old but I can still take you on!"

" ** _Enough_**!" Sesshomaru's authoritative voice echoed off the hut walls causing the tension in the room to reach an all-time high, "This is not the time for in fighting. The army of the undead is at our gates."

"And we have no reinforcements. We have a ghost ridden boy and maybe forty or fifty able warriors against thousands we cannot kill," the elder baku quipped back angrily, "There are elderly, women and children who cannot fight. There is nowhere to go! You honestly expect us to rely on your leadership now? How has that been going for you?"

"Put the half-demons on the front lines!" another baku elder interjected heatedly, "Buy us some time to evacuate those who cannot..."

" ** _Excuse me_**?!" InuYasha interjected angrily as he bared his fangs and his eyes flashed red, "Just because we're not full blooded doesn't mean our lives are worth less than yours! Most of the half-demons here are children! _**CHILDREN**_!"

"Half-breed cast aways have no real value! Besides, they're slaves and will do as they're told. The only reason _you_ get to put lord in front of your name is because your father imprinted on a whore of his own! You should all have been drowned at birth! Would've saved us all this hell you've brought here!" the most vocal elder baku snapped back before in a flash something collided solidly with his head and he crumpled to the ground. As Sango materialized above him and hissed, the room fell silent as the other elders cowered and a snort escaped one of the wolves.

"This is all madness," she snarled angrily as she took a menancing step toward the other elders, "There are no lords _or_ slaves _or_ commoners. _No one_ has a status anymore. There is only dead and undead. The rest doesn't matter. Now if you aren't going to contribute _anything_ , leave this room or I will personally feed you to that army outside."

If it would've been appropriate, InuYasha would've leapt across the table to embrace her on the spot but as it was, all he could do was nod once in silent approval.

"Sango is right," Miroku chimed in as he joined her side to glare down the elders who seemed to be weighing their options, "There is only life and death here. It is not InuYasha's or Kagome's fault this has happened. If anything it is due to our kingdom's own treatment of the humans. Divine punishment as it were. We cannot..."

A horn sounded in the distance. Followed by another and another. An unfamiliar sound to be sure but one distinct enough in the otherwise silent mountains to be heard.

"What fresh hell is this?" InuYasha swore as he made to storm outside only to pause when Sota's hand came to rest upon his shoulder.

"It's...I know this sound," Sota spoke softly as InuYasha stared at him incredulously, "Its the humans. They're coming."

"To help us or defeat us," one of the formerly silent elder baku asked in a slightly terrified voice - glancing once at Sango to make sure the comment wasn't unwelcome, "They'll be killed for sure. Or worse they'll defeat the army outside and kill us as well."

"I honestly can't say," Sota replied before a determined look came over his face before he turned to InuYasha, "Let me send a raven. You can look over the message before I send it. At a minimum, we can at least have them turn back. It's better than increasing the army we're already faced with."

"You expect this human army to listen to _you_?" Koga asked suspiciously as he set his jaw and hissed barely louder than a whisper, " _Why_?"


	60. Ulterior Motives

A worn looking man in heavy woolen clothes sighed heavily as he played with a worn wooden amulet in his left hand. The makeshift mountain path had become slick with snow - a path made by hundreds of feet barely noticeable aside from half-frozen puddles. The unnatural path rose steeply before disappearing at a rocky outcrop up ahead. To be honest, the man was unable to tell what direction this dangerous path went after that much less lead the legion of men in the direction of a mythical hidden fortress. For all he knew, he was leading his men into a trap and they'd all be dead before the sun set.

Taking a shaky breath that lingered in the winter air, he chucked darkly and took another step forward trying to shake that disturbing thought from his mind. Memories of what led him to this moment playing in loops through his mind in its stead. The aftermath of the battle seemed so long ago now. In the midst of what remained of that fortress which had sat in that peaceful valley for millennia had lain hundreds of cold, rotting corpses. The clangor of the swords had long since died away, the shouting of the slaughter had hushed, and yet the mutilated bodies still laid sprawled out across the ground weeks after the battle had ended. The smell had been horrifying despite the priests' efforts to purify the area. His advisors insisted, at the time, that leaving these corpses out in the open was necessary. It sent a message they had told him. A message - in his opinion - that made it clear they were no better than the demons who once ruled this land.

The carnage was absolute. He had underestimated the bitterness of the men in his army. Anyone that was found in the fortress, whether they be human or demon, was slain without mercy. A few survivors had been kept so they could be tortured for information. It was from one of the women - an elderly human servant - that he had obtained the amulet he cradled in his palm. The elderly woman had recognized him immediately. His daughter _had_ always taken after him more so than her mother. A fact with which he had teased his wife relentlessly when his daughter was younger.

The elderly woman his men had captured was a loyal servant of the baku clan who had been taken from the strange human village just outside the fortress with her husband and one of her sons. As a child, the elderly woman had been sold to a demon of ill repute to be used as he saw fit. The baku leader - a woman she called Lady Sango - had purchased her and set the elderly woman free in the same breath shortly thereafter. Fifty years after freeing the elderly woman, this Lady Sango had found his daughter - barely clinging to life - and made his daughter's last moments on earth as comfortable as possible. It gave him some comfort that his daughter hadn't died surrounded by beings reveling in her pain. Instead, she died surrounded by people she trusted enough to request they return the amulet to her father. It was a simple trinket. Something he had made when she was younger out of some firewood as a plaything. Something that has no value truth be told and yet something that, even when the world was burning down around her, this elderly woman had kept with her in the hope that one day it could be returned to its rightful owner.

It bothered him that the one demon above all others he wanted to kill had been murdered before the battle even began. If this elderly woman was to be believed, the demon bastard who had slain his daughter had been murdered after being caught in the act of doing the same to another human woman shortly thereafter. That human woman too had been taken under the protection of this Lady Sango after her attack. Out of respect for the elderly woman, the general had left explicit instructions with his men to let her and her family go. The following morning he was informed the elderly woman had been killed shortly after his interrogation. Within the hour, the general declared the war over and ordered that all prisoners of war be released. Several advisors had turned mutinous but they were dealt with in short order. In truth, the humans under his command were no better than the hundreds of demons they had killed in the name of overthrowing an oppressive regime. If anything, one could even argue his men were worse and he wanted no part in leaving the world worse than how he found it.

As his troops began their march home, reports began trickling in that dozens of villages, human and demon alike, were now ghost towns. Size didn't matter. Small villages were just as likely to be deserted as larger cities. Thousands of footprints led away from each one leading away towards the northern mountain. Scouts he sent to locate survivors never returned. Not one. At first, the general assumed it was the demons launching a counter attack and he immediately ordered his troops to return. It wasn't until the general bore witness to the truth that he realized it was something much more nefarious. It had been a small group - no more than five or six - but even from a distance the sight was disturbing. The ones he saw were demons or, at least, they had been in life.

Flesh hung like tattered rags exposing the white bone beneath. One corpse's snake-like brown-grey intestines dragged in the dirt, unnoticed by its owner. Their limbs stuck out at odd angles as their bloodshot eyes darted over the land, looking blindly ahead. Their audible moans leaked from their open mouths as they staggered blindly toward the tree line and vanished from view. Shortly thereafter, reports began arriving that human corpses - equally disturbing - had been sighted by those returning to camp. All heading towards the northern mountain.

The General knew what it meant. Knew that the baku clan had a fortress somewhere in the northern mountains. Knew that many demons were headed in that direction. One thing was certain. While his remaining advisors insisted they should let this new threat obliterate the surviving demon overlords, he knew better. This was no longer a battle between demons and humans. It was a battle between the living and the dead.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"You expect this human army to listen to _you_?" Koga asked suspiciously as he set his jaw and hissed barely louder than a whisper, " _Why_?"

The silence that followed was deafening. Even the vicious wind that the tested the seams of the wooden hut ceased the instant that question left the wolf's lips. Not a sound could be heard either close at hand or in the far off distance. Even their own breath seemed to die as soon as it left their mouths. As Kagome's eyes whipped to scan her brother's face for a reaction, the silence continued to hang in the air like a falling glass about to shatter on the ground. Closing his eyes to escape the accusatory glares, Sota let out a slow controlled breath and attempted to quash the fear in his chest wanting to take over. Perhaps the feeling served to protect him but there wasn't any danger. Not really. After all, his sister's allies knew of his journey and where it had taken him. They wouldn't let anyone hurt him per se. Still that didn't stop the dread creeping down his spine like a spider on its thread as he opened his mouth to respond.

"I don't know that they would listen," he began in a shaky tone as he opened his eyes and squared his shoulders, "But I was with them for many months. There are good..."

"Please tell me you are not about to defend those murderers!" one of the demon lords that had previously kept quiet scoffed indignantly as she shot to her feet, "They murdered everyone I cared about! _Everyone_! Even the children! And you were one of them!?"

"We weren't any better than them. We killed thousands of humans for far less," Inuyasha countered scathingly as he took a defensive stance between Sota and the outraged fox demon, "He joined that army to retrieve his sister that we stole. Not out of malice. Not..."

"Oh, don't give me that!" the fox demoness screamed as her eyes flashed red and she bared her fangs, "My only nephew was murdered in front of me! Murdered! He was a child Inuyasha! A child under _your_ protection!"

"I _know._ Shippo deserved so much better," Inuyasha clipped back tersely before he slightly relaxed his stance and sighed heavily, "But for centuries we've been taking advantage of the humans. Kidnapping their..."

"Yeah and that worked out well for you. Got you a pretty little bitch out of it," the elder baku who Sango had knocked own chuckled darkly as he pushed himself off the floor - pausing to glance at the young Baku for but a moment before continuing, "How do we know the boy isn't the one who informed the humans of this fortress? A fortress that has gone undisturbed for centuries? How _else_ could they have found us?"

"I did not tell them where we are," Sota interjected defensively before cringing when that statement drew the attention squarely back on him. Clearing his throat, he continued, "But they need to be warned. They need to turn back or else we'll be fighting even more dead men than we already are."

"Enough. We need to get to the bottom of this. You said you were with them for months," Koga huffed exasperatedly as he cast a side-eyed glare at Inuyasha and addressed the hanyou directly, "And I assume you knew of this?"

Nodding once, Inuyasha shifted awkwardly before replying, "Yeah I knew. He was trying to get Kagome back."

" _And_ I was possessed..." Sota voiced defensively before flinching and adding quickly, "But I'm not possessed now. I managed to throw her off."

"That is a _stunning_ recommendation," Koga snorted derisively as he pinched the bridge of his nose and several baku elders muttered angrily under their breath, "So, to clarify, you were _possessed_ when you were with this human army?"

"Yes," Sota replied as he met the ice cold stare of the wolf demon before adding in a slow, precise tone, "My motivation was to find my sisters again. That was why I left my village. One sister died...the one causing all of this. She was the one who possessed me.

"Isn't that convenient? Why would your sister possess you?" Koga asked in a tired tone - knowing the answer before the inquiry left his lips. He saw his mate roll her eyes and give him a patient look before she responded for the boy. Ayame never did respect his authority and it didn't appear she was going to do so now.

"Koga, isn't it _obvious_? I love you but that was a stupid question," the wolf demoness chided before turning to address not the boy but the miko who looked like she might be sick, "Was she murdered by the demons who took you, Kagome?"

"Yes," Kagome whispered quietly as she cast a guilty look at Inuyasha and continued in a slightly bitter tone, "Our father sold us. They...the demons said they could only take one of us and we looked...we always looked like twins so they were having trouble picking which of us would be the gift. So Kikyo...Kikyo told them she wasn't a virgin, even though she was. I think she thought she was sparing me from...from being...being...it doesn't matter what she thought. They killed her and left her body."

Inuyasha wanted so badly to comfort her in that moment as tears began cascading down her face and she closed her eyes in pain. Despite everything they had been through together, the fact still remained that if it was not for him, neither of them would have been taken that day.

"So its a revenge motive then. We killed her and kidnapped you, which is why she is demanding you back now. Could you identify the demons who took you? Or do you know who ordered you to be kidnapped?" Ayame pressed in a slightly awkward tone, "Perhaps if we had..."

"That's _enough_ ," Inuyasha snarled angrily as his eyes flashed red, "I know who it was and the bastard is dead. This line of questioning ends now. Leave it at..."

"The fault is mine," Sesshomaru interrupted in a strangely somber tone as he leaned across the small wooden table, "This Sesshomaru was the one who ordered Naraku and his minions to procure a miko for Inuyasha's promotion ceremony. It was not the first time this Sesshomaru ordered a girl to be procured nor was it the last. You are all aware that these types of procurements were commonplace. Stop acting like you were ignorant of it."

"We're not saying we're ignorant that _some_ lords procured human women for their own sick games," Koga snapped angrily as he gripped his mate's arm tightly, "Otherwise how the hell did Inuyasha end up with so many half-demons under his care? You think our son stalked that half-demon girl for decades and we don't know all about that sordid business? What do you take us for?"

"People who saw bad things being done and did nothing to stop it," Inuyasha huffed as he rolled his eyes, "That's what I'm saying. The humans had reason to hate all of us. None of us were innocent. None of us stopped these things from happening. And hundreds of girls were stolen or purchased from poverty stricken areas because people couldn't even buy _food_ due to policies we..."

" ** _Enough_** ," the fox demoness interjected heatedly as she gestured angrily at Sota, "There is no point arguing over things we can't change. The issue remains that we can't trust this young boy to send correspondence to a human army that might give away important tactical information. We're getting sidetracked. That army of corpses outside could attack at any moment and all we've done is fight amongst ourselves. This is getting us nowhere."

"Agreed," Koga sighed before turning towards Sango, "Could _you_ get through the lines? Deliver a message if..."

"Wait, you want to send Sango?! Out of the question! We cannot...we just..." Miroku spluttered heatedly as steam began pouring out of his nose and he shook with anger, "We cannot afford to send..."

"Calm down dragon. I meant no offense," Koga sighed exasperatedly as he waved a hand dismissively and turned towards the baku elders, "Is there a way out of the fortress if we do send a...wait, do you hear that?"

Faint shouts and the sounds of scuttling feet echoed just outside the door before a young looking ebony haired girl burst through the reed mat covering the entry.

"Human messenger...at the gate...got through...the barrier..." she breathed heavily as she held one hand against her chest and panted, "Wants...to talk...to Sango. Says...he's a _general_."

"Well _that's_ not suspicious," Koga groaned as he lolled his head towards Sota, "Friend of yours?"

"Guess we'll see," Inuyasha muttered dejectedly before leaning towards Kagome and whispering urgently, " _Go check on Shiori. Make sure she's okay. Nothing should've gotten through_."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Her soul was still human. Twisted, and disfigured perhaps but still human. A small part of that soul still whispered that it wasn't too late to stop but all Kikyo could feel anymore was pure, unbridled desire. A desire to hate. A desire to blame. A desire to seek revenge. The rage inside her burned like fire lacing her veins and creeping up her spine. The bubbling surface that had become her skin was a mottled crimson. A physical manifestation of the corruption eating her alive.

And yet the more she did, the more lives she took, the more evil she brought into the world, the less she could remember about her former life. Of course, she could remember that she was dead but it was the small, mundane things that she couldn't quite grasp. Trying to hold onto them was a fruitless as trying to keep water in cupped hand. She couldn't remember faces. Couldn't remember the smell of the sea or the taste of a fresh lemon on her tongue. There were times she couldn't even remember her own name. Insanity stole into her mind like a deranged thief, taking what was important to her, adding new dangerous ideas, seeding a new personality and muddling up the rest. New sparks of ideas that once she would have dismissed as bizarre grew roots. These ideas, these _obsessions_ started to make sense in one revolutionary eureka moment after another, cascading out of control, luring her further and further from the self she once knew.

There was one thing she could remember. The name of the woman she had died to protect. Kagome. She couldn't remember why she had died for that woman. What their relationship had been. She could barely remember the circumstances of her own death. But innately, in the very depths of her muddied soul, she knew that Kagome had the answers. But they were hiding her. Keeping her away. First in that palace and now in this poor excuse for a fortress. But she would get her answers one way or another and then, only then, could she be free from this torment. Even if she had to kill every man, woman and child inside to get there.


	61. A Fool's Errand

Intricate patterns of ice floated weightlessly downward from the pure white sky above, each flake swirling and dancing, as an icy wind carried it toward a rather irritated looking young woman with her long slender arms crossed against her chest and a look of impatience on her face. Breath pale against the numbing air, Sango blinked off the frost patiently kissing her face as she chewed the inside of her cheek and rolled her eyes.

"Just pick a weapon and get dressed. Otherwise, I'm leaving without you," Sango sighed heavily as the corners of her lips twitched upwards. It was hard to take the dragon seriously when he acted like this. Stripped down to the bare minimum articles of clothing - which only remained due to the well timed shriek of a small child as he had began to remove them - a nearly nude Miroku stood in the middle of the fortress creating and then subsequently dissolving weapon after weapon made of pure ice. Despite some being rather impressive, none were deemed satisfactory in his eyes.

"I have no intention of being possessed a second time. These preparations are necessary and I work best uninhibited," Miroku chuckled as he cast a playful grin in his love's direction, "Besides, if I can't create a suitable weapon, I won't be going in this form so taking the time to dress would be pointless."

"Uninhibited, huh?" Sango snorted derisively as she gave the dragon a knowing, patient look, "You just want to be the center of attention and are willing to _freeze_ to death to..."

"Ah, but water is my natural element. Death by freezing is _quite_ impossible," Miroku reminded her in a song song tone as he continued to create weapons out of thin air before melting them down with a simple flick of the wrist and trying again, "I am quite comfortable. I assure you."

"Well no one else is," Sango mumbled under her breath as she glanced at the various villagers who were had gathered to watch spectacle with morbid curiosity.

"Admit it," Sango finally huffed when Miroku merely shrugged in response with a sly grin. Folding her arms across her chest, she sighed heavily and rolled her eyes, "You're just trying to delay this meeting and trying to show off while you're at it."

"A meeting you should _not_ be attending? Why _ever_ would I try to delay _that_?" Miroku asked none too innocently and with no lack of bitterness - his fist clenching and a newly created weapon shattering in response, "Could it be that this meeting is merely a trap? Are you truly willing to be under a human's control once more?"

"InuYasha and Kagome will be watching and put a stop to it if that happens," Sango sighed wearily ignoring the way Miroku whipped his head and sent an angry glare her way as she continued, "Besides I don't think that's why he's requested this meeting. He's taking a huge risk coming by himself."

"You don't know that. You don't know that he's here by himself. This could be a trap," the dragon huffed as steam began pouring out his nose, "This isn't something to be left to chance."

"You're making a scene," Sango hissed as she moved closer and glanced at the villagers who jumped and began looking at anything that wasn't the scene before them, "And wasting precious time i might add. We have two armies at our gate. The undead aren't going to wait until you're over your concerns. They could attack at any time."

"As could the _humans_ ," Miroku countered before sighing heavily and releasing the power he held over the latest spear causing it to melt instantly, "This isn't worth it! We don't know how the general found us. We don't know what he wants. We don't know if this is a trap. We don't know how he got through the barrier or if something happened to Shiori. We don't..."

"I know," Sango responded softly as she closed the distance between them, "But if an alliance can be made, don't I have an obligation to try?"

"And you _honestly_ trust them to honor it?" Miroku hissed venomously even as Sango reached up and gently caressed his cheek. Melting into her touch, he raised his own hand to cover hers and gave her a pleading look, "Please don't do this. _Please_."

"I don't have a choice," Sango sighed as she gave him an apologetic grimace, "Everything will be alright. You'll see."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

" _Go check Shiori Kagome while I flit around playing the hero_ ," Kagome mocked Inuyasha's tone sarcastically as she shivered in the cold, winter air and forced her feet forward, " _It would only take me a few minutes to get there but it'll take you an hour to make it all the way up these stairs so it makes more sense if you go._ He's just lazy is what it is."

It was as if the world itself was conspiring to make this day as miserable as possible. Frosted air forced it's way into her lungs and stung her eyes as she traversed the slick granite staircase carved into the side of the mountain. Shivering, Kagome wrapped the oversized heavy cloak twice around her and over her bluing lips, hoping that her own exhaled air would be trapped around them in a microcosm of warmth. Yet even then the chill seeped in and her teeth began to chatter. She tensed her muscles, bringing her limbs in closer, and bent her head to the oncoming wind - determined to make it to her destination. Just as she made it a few steps from the top, loose snow from the ground became tiny missiles in the gust and she began to squint to retain any vision at all.

"Shiori? Ginta? You guys okay up here?" Kagome called out in a hoarse, worried tone as she paused a few steps from the top, "A human managed to get through the barrier. I'm just..."

"Thank the _gods_ it's you. She passed out a little bit ago and hasn't woken up," came Ginta's worried voice before he appeared at the top of the stairs carrying Shiori's limp body, "I...I didn't know what to do."

Stepping closer to examine the young bat, Kagome cringed and prayed Ginta couldn't see her expression beneath the cloak still pulled across her mouth. Shiori's face was bright red and her normally pale skin glistened in a way that has the miko quite worried. Her lips are puffed out and the peeling skin on them showed the first signs of dehydration. Her breath quivered in short, quick gasps every time she weakly inhaled, her lungs having no choice but to painfully and rigidly take in the chilled air around her. It was more than her still being injured. She was ill. Dangerously so.

"We should've noticed. How long ago did she pass out?" Kagome breathed anxiously as she sent a side eyed glance at Ginta that she hoped didn't show her own thoughts on the matter, "Were there any signs beforehand?"

"It was maybe...maybe ten, twenty minutes ago and I thought...I thought she might wake up. I could tell she was struggling but...but she insisted she was fine. Then she kinda turned green and swayed then...and then...," Ginta choked as a tear streamed down his cheek and he looked miserably down at the girl in his arms, "And...and I didn't want to leave the watch. No one else is up here. If I left..."

" _Shhhh_ , it's okay I'm not upset with you. It'll be alright," Kagome sighed as she gave him a strained, sympathetic smile, "I came up here because Inuyasha was worried about Shiori. A human general managed to get all the..."

"Don't you think I know that? But what am _I_ supposed to do?! She's _hurt_ but I guess no one cares about _that_ right now," Ginta spat back defensively as he clutched Shiori tighter against his chest before cringing and his shoulders slumped in defeat, "Sorry. I didn't mean to yell like that. I know you're not...it's just...I tried calling out for help but no one came. No one _cared_."

"The wind probably drowned it out. I wouldn't take it personally. And...talks with the other lords didn't go so well. A lot of people were probably eavesdropping," Kagome comforted with a soft sigh before glaring hatefully down at the hut where she'd just been, "I don't know what we're going to do now. No one trusts each other. No one..."

"My parents weren't supportive?" Ginta interrupted wearily as he cringed and followed her gaze, "I mean, I thought for sure they'd be on your side. Not sending you out there, of course, but at least they'd be cooperative in discussion about battle tactics and working together. Wolves are all about pack mentality after all."

"They _were_ better than the baku elders," Kagome grumbled as she rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Let's just say it's got ugly."

"Well...that's not _great_ ," Ginta began slowly before shaking his head and giving her an imploring glance, "Look, it's not that...that I don't care about the negotiations but do we have anyone else that can cast barriers? I really need to get Shiori to a healer. She should've woken up by now but I think...I think the strain of holding up a barrier so long got to her. And she wasn't quite healed yet. I wish...I should've said something but she insisted she was fine..."

"Go to the healer. I'll put up a barrier until we come up with another solution," Kagome offered kindly before adding with a worried little sigh, " I think Sota could take a turn but whether anyone would trust him to do it would be another story. That's where we lost your parents."

"Oh," Ginta murmured as he turned to head down the stairs and clutched Shiori tighter against him. Pausing for a moment, he glanced over his shoulder and muttered softly, "Be careful, Lady Kagome. Those bastards outside seem to be getting restless and I don't know how much longer we have before they strike."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The general was breathing heavily while the tell-tale sounds of the gate being unlocked echoed off the mountains around him. It wasn't from the bitter cold or the fatigue of the hike that his breath came out in short panicked gasps but from fear. _Genuine_ fear. They had _every_ right to kill him where he stood. After all, he was the leader of the army that had killed so many of them. Organized a coup. Burned their fortress to the ground. Still, he hoped that this Lady Sango was merciful and would at least allow him to thank her before ripping his heart from his chest. _If_ that's who they were sending out, which to be honest would not be what he would do in this situation. Send out someone disposable, yes, but not a high ranking leader or one of your most powerful warriors. It _would_ be foolish for them to send her really. _Especially_ to meet someone who he could only imagine was being described as a traitorous whore.

To be honest, though, he figured he was probably the least of their problems or - at a minimum - the lesser of two evils. From this distance, the smell of dead bodies was overpowering. They were close. All those corpses - hundreds, maybe even thousands - waiting patiently on the other side of this fortress. Whomever or whatever was creating them, however, hasn't noticed his approach or had taken this opportunity to attack his men in which case this meeting would be somewhat pointless. He had come to offer assistance in the upcoming battle but he only had so little to offer. He had brought with him only a hundred or so new recruits which unfortunately was severely lacking in priests and mikos. There were a few - half a dozen at most. The rest has refused the call on principal. After all, why attempt a rescue of those who hunted them down like animals when there were humans who needed their protection? Ironic that they were so willing to ignore the very teachings that had been instilled in them. That all life was sacred. One person didn't get to pick and choose who was worthy of protection. Not that he was any better. After all, he was the general who had overseen the greatest mass murder in recent history.

Steam began pouring out of the slightly open gate, bringing his mind back to his instant predicament and sending a chill down his spine as two glowing red eyes appeared in the midst of the thick cloud. A menancing figure slunk slowly out of the doorframe and emerged into the open. It's first step splayed claws into the ice that were clearly capable of lacerating even the sturdiest to mere ribbons of flesh and bone. Next it's face with sharp fangs and eyes that had faded from that frightening crimson into a deep violet that reflected countless ages of intelligence and wisdom. Having never seen a baku himself he could only assume that this was her true form. Surely, this was the formidable Lady Sango.

Quickly going down onto one knee, the general bowed his head and tried to find his voice in the midst of his own crippling fear.

"Lady Sango. It's an honor to meet you," the general managed to state in a somewhat reverent tone, "I request permission to speak with you..."

"What is your business here?" the beast barked angrily in a clearly masculine voice that had him cringing. It wasn't Lady Sango after all. And why would it be? They weren't fools enough to send her and he had just made a fool out of himself."

"My name is General Masashi Nara. We received reports that an army of the dead was marching north and...and I heard tales that a Lady Sango showed mercy on my daughter. I have come to propose an alliance on the threat to our world. The undead are marching on this fortress," the general answered anxiously into the bitter wind before adding in a slightly desperate tone as he pulled the amulet from within his robe, "As...as for Lady Sango, I had received reports that my daughter has been set atop a spike and ripped in half after being... _assaulted_ repeatedly but...but I have since learned that the latter is the only truth that was conveyed. She was attacked, yes, but her death was a peaceful one thanks to Lady Sango. You see, I was given this..."

"You expect me to believe..." the beast huffed angrily as steam poured out its mouth before a softer feminine voice interrupted him.

"I know that amulet," the feminine voice echoed all around the terrified general who looked around wildly for the source, "Her name was Hana, right? Forgive me, I..."

"I do not blame you if you forgot her name," the general murmured anxiously as he clutched the amulet against his chest, "From what I was told, she was not the first girl you spared nor dare I say the last."

"She wasn't with me for more than a few days," the soft feminine voice continued - though her form remained hidden, "I wasn't aware of her situation until it was too late. I would have intervened."

"I am aware. One of your servants told me what you had done," the general sighed heavily in a somewhat uneasy tone, "What you had done for so many. Whether an alliance is reached or not, I needed to thank you for allowing her to find comfort in her final moments."

"You said one of my servants told you," the feminine voice commented suspiciously, "All humans fled the palace in advance of the siege."

"Not all," the general responded wearily as he took in a deep breath, "Some remained in a nearby village on the outskirts of the fortress. Unfortunately, this servant did not survive the battle. She died shortly after I learned of my daughters fate."

"How?" the beast interjected with no lack of bitterness - his claws leaving gauages in the ice covered ground as he clenched his paw and bared his fangs, "Did you repay the gift of truth with _damnation_?"

"I ordered my men to release her and her family," the general responded defensively before cringing and adding in a bitter tone, "Some of my men thought they knew better. They were punished for their disobedience I assure you."

"I'm _sure_ ," the beast huffed skeptically as he sent an angry yet knowing glance into the distance, "You have roughly a hundred men with you. What happened to the rest of your troops?"

"Some are with the damned. Some refused the call. Others...others I executed for treason when their deeds came to light," the general replied uneasily, "Those that are with me understand what this battle is about. The only enemy here is death. We fight for the living."

"Even if the _living_ includes beings such as us?" the beast countered angrily as his violet eyes flashed crimsons once more, "How do we know we can trust the likes of you?!"

"You can't," the general replied in an understanding yet resigned tone, "You have no reason to do so. But I swear on my daughter's soul that no harm shall come to you and to be honest, you don't have much of a choice. The troops I have brought with me are of an open mind. I made it very clear to them who we were coming to defend and who we would be fighting. Those that disagreed were discharged or left of their own volition."

"How did you find this fortress?" the beast barked out - seemingly nonplussed by this explanation, "In thousands of years, none have..."

"Footprints," the general interjected with an exasperated sigh, " _Thousands_ and _thousands_ of footprints. You are outnumbered and the longer we remain here out in the open the more likely it becomes the dead will notice my troops arrival. If you wish for us to leave, say as much and I will take my troops with me. I have no intention of being reunited with my daughter today due to the indecisiveness of a few."

"You _dare_..." the beast hissed angrily before stopping when their surroundings suddenly shimmered and mere steps away from the general appeared a young woman - her chestnut hair blowing lazily in the breeze as she towered about the human on the ground.

"It is not our decision to make," the woman murmured apologetically as she gave him a kind smile and shot a disappointed glance at the beast before continuing, "Please allow us a few minutes to discuss this with the others. In the meantime, rejoin your troops. We shall send a raven with our verdict."

"Before dusk?" The general asked wearily as he glanced up at the sky, "If we must retreat, I would prefer to do so when there's still daylight. At least then we could see who we're fighting."

"Before dusk," the woman confirmed, "But if you must retreat before then, for whatever reason, do so."

"I understand," the general murmured as a draft brought a wave of the ungodly stench of rot into the clearing, "Hopefully the undead remain distracted until the verdict is reached."

Huffing out a giant plunge of steam, Miroku narrowed his large crimson eyes at the general before glancing at the edge of the fortress to his right. It was odd that whatever was causing this - whether it was the sole actions of this Kikyō woman or whether it was something more nefarious - seemed to be waiting. Surely, the time had already passed to hand over Kagome and yet it has taken no additional steps. It was silent, unmoving, waiting.

"Go," the dragon barked out in disgust as he whipped his head back towards the general and bared his fangs for effect, " _Now_."

The general did not need to be told twice. Quickly getting to his feet, he bowed once more at the woman.

"If we do not meet again, I thank you Lady Sango for helping my daughter," the general murmured before glancing towards the dragon who had spread his intimidating wings to their full glory and whose hatred towards him was almost tangible. Yes, a retreat was probably warranted. Too much blood had been spilt. Too much has happened. They would never agree to permit humans into their fortress. Even in a battle of life against death.


	62. Nothing Lasts Forever

The healer's words splintered inside him causing him more pain than he ever imagined a demon could suffer. Where his heart had been moments before was now veil of nothingness with no intent of lifting. It was a cruelty of life that a heart could keep beating after being told that it's reason _for_ beating would be gone in only...

"Two days," the elderly healer repeatedly tentatively as she cast the traumatized wolf demon a sympathetic look, "Maybe less. Her injuries must have been more severe than what we initially realized. There's nothing we can do."

"When...when she...," Ginta tried to reply - the insides of his mouth going dry and his voice cracking from the effort of staying stable, "When she was first injured, my heart was..."

"I know. You told me before and I imagine imprinting is also how Lord InuYasha survived his curse for such an unusual period of time. However, imprinting is…." the healer interrupted in a patient yet sympathetic tone before trailing off in a heavy sigh and tried to formulate the correct way to explain the phenomenon, "Imprinting is more than merely a one-sided instinct. It is the meeting of two souls repeatedly over several lifetimes. You are familiar with the concept of reincarnation, are you not? For _whatever_ reason, your very souls are permanently and irreversibly intertwined. In a prior life, you and Shiori here were most likely imprinted. Probably in the life before that and the life before that and the life before that too. The strength of such a long-standing bond allows your souls to help each other heal to an extent. Allows the other to hold on long enough with their injuries for their counterpart to attempt to save their failing bodies. Sometimes, however, all the imprinting instinct has done is delay the inevitable. As is the case here. There is nothing you could've done differently."

"So…so there's _no_ chance she'll recover? That…that she'll wake up?" Ginta asked in a small voice as he tried to stop the building panic growing in his chest, "I mean, she was doing fine. I don't understand how she could be doing fine and then just… _just_ …"

"Take a moment to process this," the healer murmured in a sad, resigned tone as she gently touched his arm with her wizened hand, "I know it isn't easy. I'll leave you alone for a moment while I go gather some herbs to make her last moments a little more comfortable."

Watching the healer go with a look of utter shock on his face, Ginta shakily turned his gaze back towards the unnaturally still body of the love of his life. With trembling hand, he gently used his claws to brush Shiori's sweat dampened hair out of her face as a flash of anger protected him from the full brunt of the pain. Perhaps if he wouldn't've been such a coward these past two decades, if he had known this is how it would end, he would've found the courage to approach her _sooner_. He could have had all that time with her instead of the short, bittersweet _months_ they'd shared. If the humans had simply waited or at least tried to do something in a civil manner, this never would have happened. He wouldn't be on the brink of losing _everything_ right now. His chances for a future, for children. His chance to be loved, to have a mate. The loss of his life in the fortress, of his seat on the council and all the wealth he could ever want meant nothing to him. Material possessions were meaningless but _her_? He would never be able to move past losing her. And the worst of it was that they had waited to do the impress so he wouldn't even die when she did. He would have to wait _however_ many _thousands_ of years to die naturally or would be forced to take his own life so he could find Shiori again in the next one. Thousands of years alone with no one to call his own. There was no opportunity for closure either. Shiori was in a coma he had just been told she'd never wake from so it wasn't like he could very well say _goodbye_ to her. It was the humans' fault this happened. It was always their fault. Foul, loathsome _beasts_. He'd make them pay. He'd make all of them pay.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

This existence was strange. The further her soul stayed in the dark, the more the ever dimming light inside her burned. Even the memory of that light caused a searing pain to shoot through her incorporeal form. Perhaps there was a time she didn't have to become a beast, but one thing was certain. She was one now.

Still, even a beast has no wish to be lonely. That wasn't what she wanted. She _wanted_ power and control. Power and control over her fate in death where she had lacked it in life. Yet what would be the point of all that power and control if there was no one to share in it. Out of the the dark void that had become her soul...from the shadows...from this terrible existence where not an ounce of light shone, she had begun to call for others to follow her. Those with unfinished business. Those who hated and left the world with a black mark on their souls. The lost. The unwanted.

She would help these sorry masses find salvation. Together, they would free themselves from the shackles they had in life. Remove the conscience from their minds. With her gifts, she would show them how strong they could be with no voice telling them not to kill, not to harm. The reward for those who answered the call was to learn the _joy_ of inflicting pain, the _love_ of power and the ability to remain indifferent as others suffer. Anyone could be a king- mighty and crushing enemies under foot without batting an eyelash. It took death for her to realize there was no right and wrong. Only what can and _can't_ be done.

Ultimately, however, despite the time and effort she had undergone to have her army ready and prepared for an assault, the opportunity to crush her enemies had presented itself with no inconvenience or effort on her part. When the barrier initially fell, she had been surprised in all honesty - believing her senses to be mistaken. That _surely_ those foul, loathsome creatures wouldn't be foolish enough to lower the one thing keeping the army of undead from storming their fortress. Still, as the minutes ticked by, it became obvious that the barrier had indeed been lowered and so she moved. Silently. Unseen. Able to drift casually through the fortress wall without anyone being any wiser to the defenses being breached. For an hour, maybe more, she waited in the warm wood on the likely chance that the lowering of the barrier was a trap to entice her out into the open. To lull her into a false sense of security so they could banish her to the underworld. It wasn't until she heard a few of the beasts chatting amongst themselves - mere inches from her hiding place - that the barrier casting creature had fallen ill and that Kagome was now assigned the task. Atop the very walls. All alone.

The girl never stood a chance.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, the air became bitterly cold and humid - an enchanting combination to be sure. Every surface, every exposed twig that wasn't already encapsulated in a layer of ice began growing their own before their very eyes. Still, the new onslaught of freezing weather was the least of their concerns.

"You keep avoiding my question and I'm not letting it go until I have an answer. Is this man telling the truth?" Miroku huffed partially in frustration as his breath left his lips in an icy mist, "I don't understand why you won't answer the question."

"Its so much more complicated than you could ever know," Sango groaned in frustration as she leaned against the side of the fortress and slowly slid down before continuing, "There was a girl who was attacked. I'm sure you heard the rumors of the human girl Naraku impaled on a stick? That was _her_. Whether someone could say I saved her or not is another story. She died a few days after I found her."

"You're focusing on semantics. Whether you _saved_ her or _found_ her is irrelevant," Miroku huffed once in frustration and thrust his hand angrily through his snow laden hair, "And while _yes_ , she did _die_ , that isn't..."

"I wasn't done," Sango interrupted as she set her jaw and gave the dragon a side-eyed glare, "I realize you aren't as familiar with InuYasha's house as I am but indulge me. The reason I even found the girl is I recognized her scent and thought it was one of Inuyasha's servants."

"I beg your pardon," Miroku scoffed as he rolled his eyes, "Why is that even..."

"Think _very_ hard about what I just said," Sango cut him off before he could start on a new rant, "What does it mean if I thought the girl was one of _Inuyasha's_ servants?"

It took an embarrassingly long time for understanding to dawn on the dragon's face. When it hit him, the gravity of the situation, his mouth fell open slightly and he turned a slightly horrified glance towards the baku as he whispered, "A half-demon. Their scents. They were related. Which means..."

"That this general had not one but _two_ women stolen by our kind," Sango acknowledged sagely as she grimaced and shook her head, "The first was probably a sister of his if I read the scent correctly. The half-demon in question was attacked by someone in the palace shortly after I found the human girl."

"So she's dead?" Miroku choked before swearing softly and pinching the bridge of his nose, "That..."

"Not dead," Sango corrected him as she gestured absently at a distant hut and scowled, "She's fucking right over there as we speak. Physical evidence of the realm's crimes against this general's family."

"So she is," Miroku murmured in a mortified tone as he turned to stare at the hut in mild horror, "And you're concerned that any alliance would be broken the minute he discovered the truth."

"If he doesn't _already_ know. The first abduction had to be _decades_ ago, mind you. His niece goes by the name Ai," Sango acknowledged sadly with a bitter chuckle as she wrinkled her nose, "Smart little thing. Too smart. Recognized her own scent on the daughter, her _cousin_. Began asking questions of the wrong people. Found out what happened to the girls InuYasha had been freeing after they were gifted to him. And..."

"Someone found out and took matters into his own hands," Miroku scoffed in disgust before furrowing his brow, "I swear if we had just killed Naraku before..."

"I'm not sure it _was_ Naraku who attacked Ai. She never did say and if she did, InuYasha never shared that information with me. Inuyasha told me Shiori told him it was an accident but he suspected, at the time, that foul play was involved. Especially considering the human girl's condition and the scent connection there. Couldn't question the servants about it when they were too terrified to speak but...," Sango laughed bitterly as she continued, "But then, well, Kagome arrived and I doubt he ever got the answer. Not that it matters now."

"And you think the general knows," Miroku hummed in understanding, "You think he wasn't being entirely truthful about his motives."

"I think he knows," Sango acknowledged with a frustrated huff, "And while I think he was genuine about thanking me for helping his daughter- _if_ you could call what the little I could do for the poor girl helping - the fact that he couldn't've planned his arrival at a better time is _extremely_ suspicious. Maybe _he_ did something to Shiori to cause her injuries to worsen and is trying to use his daughter's fate to gain our trust. Besides he all but admitted that his men killed Mei in cold blood. She was a good woman. Loyal to a fault. I doubt seriously she would've said anything unless someone tortured it out of her. They tortured an old woman and her family, Miroku. Killed them for the crime of being associated with me. And he..."

"Take care Sango. That savors strongly of bitterness. Were you not telling me earlier that we needed to consider all options," Miroku interrupted darkly as he looked around at the strangely empty fortress courtyard, "However, I do think the fact that he managed to find us so easily at the exact time the barrier fell is suspect."

"As you made abundantly clear by putting on your most terrifying act out there," Sango commented knowingly as she gave him a morbidly amused look, "The steam was a nice touch."

"My theatrics aside, you never answered my initial question," Miroku replied as the corners of his lips twitched upwards, "Are you going to trust him?"

"As to whether I trust this man, I don't know," Sango muttered as she pinched the bridge of her nose, "I don't know. We could use the reinforcements but the elders and other leaders are already mutinous. Then with Ai being here I don't know whether it would even be wise to enter into such an alliance. Allow them through our gates only to..."

"You don't need to finish, I understand. Explaining the situation to any party involved might do more harm than good," Miroku scoffed softly before furrowing his brow in concentration - his eyes widening in horror as he whispered urgently, "Sango, do you..."

Before he could finish that thought, a bone-chilling scream pierced the chilled winter air echoing off the mountains surrounding the fortress. Every other thought that the baku or dragon might've had in that moment was put on hold as they shuddered at the sheer agony embodied in that disturbing sound.

" _InuYasha_ ," Sango managed to murmur in a heartbroken tone before vanishing from the dragon's sight faster than he could blink.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Listen, I understand your concerns. Really, I do but there is nothing to fear from Sota," InuYasha sighed heavily as he pinched the bridge of his nose and grimaced, "Shiori is...is dying and Kagome can't keep up a barrier around the clock. She isn't a demon. Humans need way more sleep than our kind."

Shuddering slightly, Inuyasha tried to reign in his emotions and not lash out at the wolf demon despite desperately wanting to kill _something_. It seemed with each passing day the world was taunting him. Taking everything he ever cared about from him piece by piece just to show him how powerless he really was in this life. Losing Shiori was just another blow, another loss that he could do nothing to prevent. A blow that was killing him slowly, that felt like a knife in his heart, and one that he had to ignore at the moment in favor of arguing with this stupid wolf.

"And this child was in regular contact with the human usurpers for months, InuYasha," Koga countered with a weary sigh, "Usurpers who randomly show up at a hidden fortress at the _exact_ moment our barrier fell. Whose arrival coincided with our one barrier casting demon falling deathly ill and the undead arriving at our doorstep? It's too much and a little too convenient to just be pure chance. I'm sorry but I can't support a motion to have this newcomer..."

"Well we're out of options unless you can pull a barrier casting alternative out of your ass," InuYasha spat back as he winced and let out a shaky breath. His head was absolutely killing him - like someone had taken a skewer and was slowly inserting it behind his eyeballs. Maybe it was from the pain of losing someone else precious to him. Or...maybe it was the constant beating of his head against the metaphorical wall that was everyone in the god damn fortress that was to blame. The baku elders had taken to avoiding him at all costs and the others, while more open to discussion, were taking a hard line.

"Are you alright?" Ayame asked in a worried tone that barely registered amidst the pain shooting through his mind, "You're awful pale all of a sudden."

"Just a headache. It's nothing," InuYasha huffed as he released the vice grip on his nose and blinked a few times before launching into his pitch again, "Listen, if you want, interrogate the kid yourself until you're satisfied. In the end, we do not have another option. Sota will need to take Kagome's place at sundown. _Obviously_ the usual baku security measures are useless against the undead and whatever is controlling them. Illusions aren't going to cut it this...this..."

Swaying slightly, InuYasha suddenly turned a sickly shade of green - taking an involuntary step backwards like he was trying to escape the sensations running through him before he crumpled like a puppet suddenly released from its strings and let out a bloodcurdling scream.


	63. Pain & Punishment

It had been a fool's errand that brought him here. A foolish hope that there may still be time to set things right in a moment of need. It was evident that they had no interest in his help. The dragon was terrifying, clearly putting on his most intimidating act, and the Lady Sango obviously distrusted him as well. They were formidable and most likely able to handle the battle against the undead without the help of a few useless humans.

Oh, the journey home would be rough and cold. Probably several would perish. On the journey here, his men has rode sluggishly -swaying left and right so to almost fall off their horses. They were hardly able to keep their eyes open and every so often would close them, until a more vigorous breeze would rouse them suddenly. It had not mattered that were covered from head to toe in thick winter wear with many layers underneath as well. Winter had arrived and nowhere was it more potent than in these mountains.

"How'd it go?" a young mousy haired woman asked nervously as she came out to greet him, "Are they going to accept our help? I sensed they just lowered the barrier. Should I tell the men to pack up or..."

"The barrier?" the general asked - momentarily distracted from his thoughts as he glanced over his shoulder back towards the fortress, "I didn't encounter a barrier."

"It had fallen a few moments before we arrived," the woman sighed as she adjusted the bow atop her shoulder, "Powerful but clearly demonic. This second one, though, was spiritual but it fell a few moments ago. Maybe they're sending someone to meet us."

"Maybe," the general murmured in reply as he furrowed his brow, "Maybe not."

"In any case, you didn't say how it went," the woman commented shrewdly as she arched a graceful brow, "The fact you're still alive I take it means it went well."

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure whether it accomplished anything," the genera admitted with an exasperated sigh, "It was foolish to think they'd accept our help after everything."

"Perhaps," the woman hummed in agreement before staring up at the gnarled barren branches of the trees overhead, "But this is bigger than just the petty squabbles of man and beast. There is something or someone that has wiped out thousands and taken the dead for their own purposes. As you said, this is a fight between the living and the dead. I'm sure the demons will understand that as well."

"They're outnumbered," the general sighed as they continued walking towards camp, "I'm not sure an extra hundred men will make a difference in the upcoming anyhow."

"You never know," the woman chided gently as she braced against a particularly brutal gust of wind, "After all, what they have in brute strength they lack in beings with spiritual powers. We have more to offer than just warm bodies. A dozen or so fully trained mikos and priests could make all the difference."

For a moment, they walked along in companionable silence before the general paused and glanced over his shoulder.

"You said the barrier fell. A _spiritual_ barrier," the general huffed suddenly as he furrowed his brow and frowned, "Do you sense anything else? Are the dead on the move?"

"Not that I can tell," the miko replied as she paused and looked back towards the fortress in the distance with a slight frown, "But there is something. A powerful evil that I didn't sense before. Do you think..."

"That whatever has been calling the dead to arms may have launched an attack?" the general finished as he chewed the inside of his cheek, "If that's the case, they need assistance."

"If it's not, our sudden arrival might be seen as another coup," the young woman acknowledged in a disconcerted tone as she took a tentative step forward, "We could send a spy. It wouldn't take much and it would go unnoticed. A single crow would do."

"Call Hiro and make it so. Tell the men to prepare for battle as well," the general murmured quietly, "Somethings wrong. I just know it."

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Inuyasha convulsed violently on the snow laden ground. His panic stricken amber eyes were open and staring up at the grey cloud overhead but unfocused and unseeing. His lips moving but no sound escaped other than muffled groans and the sounds of frothy bile slowly making its way up his throat.

" _Inuyasha_ ," Sango breathed as she appeared out of nowhere next to the wolf demoness who was trying desperately to hold him still, "What happened?"

"I just don't understand," Ayame murmured in barely more than a panicked whisper - her hands firmly pressed against his shoulders, "He said...he said his head hurt and then he just...I can't stop him. I can't. He _won't_..."

For a moment, Sango merely breathed heavily as her mind raced a mile a minute trying to think of anything, literally _anything_ , that might explain this sudden turn. This was the second demon to just randomly fall in the course of an afternoon. Both had been injured before and had outwardly seemed perfectly fine until they weren't. While Ginta wasn't affected by Shiori's condition, however, Inuyasha had an _impress_ which meant if _he_ was like this...

_Kagome..._

"Where is Kagome?" the baku suddenly asked in a panicked tone as she began to look around in panic, "Where is she? Is she alone?"

"Still atop the wall," Koga interjected as he continued to stare at the scene in mild horror before his mouth popped open and his mortified gaze turned to the baku, "You don't _think_..."

"The barrier is down and I heard a scream," came an unwelcome voice as a panicked Sota rushed into the small alley between the huts where these events were unfolding. Freezing in place, Sota stared at the still convulsing hanyou with wide doe eyes as he managed to whisper, "What happened?"

"He just...he just crumpled. Just _crumpled_ ," Ayame choked back a sob as she reached up with trembling fingers to try to brush some of the foamy bile away from Inuyasha's mouth, "I don't under..."

"The barrier is down and so is he," Sango cut the wolf demoness off urgently earning a startled and slightly hurt look from her as the baku turned to address Sota directly, "I think that means something happened to Kagome. We need to find her. _Now_."

"I'll go," Koga offered as he began sniffing madly as turned his emerald eyes up towards the topmost part of the fortress wall, "She's still up there."

" _No no no no no_ ," Sota scoffed before adding incredulously as he gestured angrily at nothing in particular, "You are aware that Kagome might be _possessed_ , right? That whatever it is causing this might be able to vaporize you _instantly_? No, _I_ need to go. I'm the _only_ one who can..."

"Like hell you will," Koga countered angrily as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the young boy, " _Convenient_ , don't you think, that since your arrival we've had nothing but trouble. Human generals at the gate. An undead army at our door. My son's mate _dying_ as we speak. And now _this_. No. _I_ will go and _you_ will stay where watchful eyes can keep tabs on you."

"This is ridiculous," Sota huffed exasperatedly as he turned to Sango, " _You've_ got _nothing_ to add? Like how you _know_ I'm _right_?!"

" _Peace. Peace_ ," Miroku's tired and weary voice broke into the fray as he appeared out of breath and rolling his eyes, " _I_ will accompany Sota. All this bickering is wasting time we don't have."

"Agreed," Sango sighed as she knelt down by Inuyasha and began checking his body for external injuries by gently removing or lifting his garments, "Miroku send up sparks the _second_ you think something's wrong. Now _go_!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Darkness engulfed her thoughts as she floated in the void she'd been unceremoniously deposited into. Stretching out in front of her, perfect and absolute. A darkness that studied and challenged her fears, her courage and her knowledge. As far as she could tell there was no life here. No past. No present. No future. Just her. All alone.

"Hello?" Kagome tried calling out - the noticeable lack of echo sending a chill down her spine, "Is anyone there?"

A faint sound - like a voice submerged in water - trickled through the inky blackness. Warbled, distant and yet strangely familiar. It brought about a sense of nostalgia. A memory of a moment long since forgotten, hidden even. Somewhere lost in the deep recesses of her mind.

"K _agome. Kagome? You're going to drown,_ " came the voice - a little stronger, sounding slightly amused as Kagome felt a phantom tug on her arm, "You need to get up. The tide has come in."

Blinking, the world suddenly came into focus. The light of day might've been gone but there was no mistaking her new locale. In the light of the waning moon came the rhythmic pounding of the waves and the salty air moving gently over her skin, flicking the tiniest grains of sand into her semi-closed eyes. With a shaky sigh, it registered in her confused mind that she was laying on the cold damp sand in that remote alcove she never thought she'd ever see again. All around her were those small dunes of grimy grey sand soon to be soaked by the sea gradually creeping its way further onto shore. Those white ribbon of cliffs and rocks that so often had protected her from reality. That small piece of heaven in hell.

Shivering slightly as a cool drought of air whipped over the waves bringing a taste of the ocean with it, Kagome slowly sat up and look around the sandy shore with tears in her eyes trying to remember how she got here. She knew, just _knew_ , she had not been here in some time but for the life of her, she couldn't remember why that might be.

"You missed dinner," the soft feminine voice chided gently making Kagome start as her head whipped towards the source, "You're lucky that father is still away at the market in Old Towne."

"Kikyo," Kagome sighed in a mixture of relief and confusion as she added with a hint of suspicion, "You're here."

"Indeed I am," Kikyo laughed softly as she took the few steps it would take to reach her sister and gracefully sat down on the gritty sand next to Kagome, "Mother was concerned and sent me to fetch you."

"Mother..." Kagome repeated softly as she furrowed her brow in confusion and asked in a perturbed tone, " _Mother_ sent you?"

"Well, Sota won't arrive until the next full moon so who else would she send?" Kikyo asked as she sent her sister a curious glance, "Are you feeling alright?"

"Not sure," Kagome admitted as she chewed the inside of her cheek and look back out over the moonlit waves before asking in a completely confused tone, "How did I get here?"

"Well, I imagine you came here earlier trying to get away from Mother," Kikyo mused as she played idly with her hands in her lap, "Or to escape the fact that in one months time, we're supposed to marry men we never met. That your hopes and dreams for the future are crushed. That..."

"Okay, you can stop. I get it," Kagome snorted once and waved her hand in clear dismissal, "I ran away from my problems. _Again_. I just...this doesn't feel right. I don't remember any of that. I don't remember getting here."

"You don't?" Kikyo asked in a worried tone as her sapphire eyes widened with worry and she quickly knelt to begin searching her sister's head for injuries, "Did you fall? I don't see any injuries. Is your vision blurred? Does your head hurt? What..."

"What about I don't...oh for the love of...get _off_!" Kagome huffed in a mixture of frustration and amusement as she tried half-heartedly tried to push her sister away, "I'm fine. _Really_. I just woke up. Give me a break."

"Well far be it for me not to try to care for my _clumsy_ little sister," Kikyo scoffed in mock annoyance although she did give up her attempts to check her sister for injuries, "Honestly, I don't understand how you aren't constantly covered in bruises."

"It's because I'm _graceful_ ," Kagome teased back as she stuck her tongue out and shifted slightly in the grimy sand, "It's the strangest thing though. I feel like I haven't been here in years. I don't...I _must've_ just hit my head or _something_."

"Well, if that's the worst thing that happens to you, I'd say it was a good life," Kikyo hummed affectionately as she reached up and brushed a few stray hairs out of Kagome's placated face. A face that fell slightly as the memory that they were being given away as unwilling brides entered her mind.

"This isn't...no, this...we've done this already. This...maybe this is a dream," Kagome began slowly as she furrowed her brow and idly batted away Kikyo's hand, "This...this doesn't feel right."

"Of course this isn't a dream. You're not making any sense," Kikyo sighed in a worried tone as she tilted her head slightly to the side, "Are you sure you're feeling alright? Sleep induced memory loss aside, of course."

"I just...I don't know," Kagome sighed as she shook her head and glanced at her sister - look for reassurance more than anything, "Everything feels wrong. This place. Not knowing how I got here. Even you being the one to find me. It's not right. It's wrong. Completely wrong."

"Well if its any consolation," Kikyo began slowly after a moment of silence as she gracefully got to her feet and extended her slender hand, "No matter how wrong the world may become, I will _always_ be there for you."

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

There was no such thing as a beautiful body after death had claimed the soul. There was no such thing as a _romantic_ corpse. Death was death. Flesh rots. Bones follow. Everything returns back to the earth from whence it came. That once rosy complexion was waxy and sallow. That mouth that was so quick to smile in life lay stiff and agape. Those pale pink lips that kissed him in stolen moments were blue and cold. That translucent hair that sparkled in the sunlight somehow flat and a brittle looking grey. Those arms that embraced him...that wrapped him in warmth and security were stiff and cold to the touch. She was gone. Gone where he could not follow.

"I'm sorry," Ginta managed to choke as his fingers brushed the side of Shiori's clammy cheek and tears fell freely down his face, "I'm...I'm so sorry."

"There was nothing you could do," the elderly healer tried to comfort as she gently raised a white sheet to cover the body, "I'll give you a few moments but...but then I need to prepare the body for burial."

"Just get it done" Ginta snapped bitterly as he turned his pain filled emerald eyes hatefully towards the healer, "I can't stand to be here one damn moment longer."

"We all deal with grief in our own way," the healer murmured softly as she gave him a sympathetic grimace, "But it's important not to do anything rash."

"I'll be the judge of that," Ginta replied in a cold tone - using a single finger to flick away the lingering tears as he cast one last mournful glance at what remained of his beloved before leaving her behind.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Kagome?!" Sota called out as he fought against the bitter wind before swearing softly, "What is the deal with all these _stairs_? Honestly, you would think demons would've invented something more useful than this."

"Well most of us don't need stairs," Miroku chuckled softly as he sent the boy a sympathetic glance, "Would you prefer I carry you?"

" _No_ ," Sota mumbled as he sent the dragon a side-eyed glare, "Just...it's going to take _forever_ to climb all these."

"Again, I have offered to carry you to the top at least three times now," Miroku pointed out as he rolled his eyes, "There is no shame in _expediency_."

"Well we're almost there now," Sota mumbled miserably as a faint blush adorned his cheeks, "Besides if Kagome _is_ possessed, she might blast you out of the sky or would have put up a barrier to stop any demon from getting close. This way we might still have the element of surprise."

"Oh yes, climbing stairs that are completely out in the open does have its advantages. Especially when you call out every few minutes giving away your location," Miroku snorted sarcastically, "Please tell me you're joking."

"Well, if it _is_ Kikyo, she likes to pretend to be whomever she's possessing," Sota reasoned as his faint blush blossomed in a deep crimson, "We need to make it seem like we don't realize somethings _wrong_. After all, I'd wager to guess that Kikyo has no idea that Inuyasha might be affected by whatever she may be doing to Kagome. If I'm right, the best way to get close enough to do what needs to be done is to act like we're just casually checking on her. Thus, _stairs_."

"That is a _very_ risky premise," Miroku groaned miserably as they came around the final bend and came face to face with a smiling, seemingly normal...

"Kagome!" Sota managed to squeak awkwardly as he forced a smile onto his face, "Why weren't you answering? We came to see if you needed some backup. Inuyasha was _so_ worried."

"Was he?" the figure who looked like Kagome asked curiously as she stood on her tiptoes to look over her brother's shoulder, "Where is he?"

"Another meeting," Miroku interjected as he too tried to force a smile onto his face - realizing their worst fear had indeed come to pass, "He sent us in his stead."

"Well that's a shame," the imposter hummed in a falsely disappointed tone as she eyed them both curiously before turning and heading back to the middle of the fortress wall. Pausing, she glanced over her shoulder and beckoned both men forward with a sing-song tome, "Come. Come. You must see."

"See what? The, uh, dead people?" Sota asked nervously as he exchanged a worried glance with the dragon. They received no answer other than a slightly annoyed glance and curt nod. Taking a tentative step forward, Sota put himself between the fake and Miroku as he asked in as casual tone as he could muster, "Aren't you hungry? Why don't we go down and Miroku can cast the barrier?"

Blanching visibly, Miroku stared at the back of Sota's head in alarm before trying to mask his expression and played along, "Of course I will cast the, um, barrier while you take a moment to regain your strength."

"I didn't realize there were others capable of casting barriers," Kagome replied curiously as she arched a single brow - her gaze never leaving the army of undead still standing idly in masse before her, "Are you the only one?"

"Oh no. We can all cast barriers. You know this," Miroku lied seamlessly - praying that Sota knew what he was doing. The boy had been correct about this Kikyo woman attempting to masquerade as her host after all so maybe he knew what to do for this as well. Still, this beast was crafty. She might just be playing innocent, be using them for a nefarious end.

"Of course. _Silly_ me," Kagome chuckled as she turned and gave them both a slightly manic, almost creepy grin, "You know, I'd _love_ something to eat. Lead the way."

As Sota and Kagome began to descend the steps, the brother paused and called back at the dragon watching them go, "It'll take a while to get down all these stairs but I'll make sure to send _Kohaku_ with something to eat soon, okay?"

Waving awkwardly, Miroku's mind went a mile a second trying to figure out the hidden message in that odd statement. Of all the demons to _pretend_ to send, why...

Understanding dawned on Miroku's face and with a shuddering breath, he waited until the pair was out of sight before raising his hand into the air and sending up a single brilliantly blue flare.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

With a groan, Inuyasha slowly came back to consciousness only to find himself utterly confused. It escaped him how he had come to be in this foreign place. For the life of him, he couldn't remember what happened. Last thing he could remember was speaking with Sesshomaru at the banquet about yet another gift. Groaning once more, InuYasha blinked sluggishly as he tried to make sense of his surroundings despite the pain reverberating in his skull.

It wasn't the palace. Of that he was certain. This old hut must have been little more than a glorified shed even in it's hay day. It seemed to have collapsed inwardly on itself, like a loaf of bread taken out of the oven too soon. Dust lay over every surface like dirty snow, oddly bereft of foot prints which struck him as strange. Shafts of light burst through the gaps in the thinning thatch roof and through the boarded up windows. It was clearly abandoned. Devoid of occupants for several years. Until now that is.

It took him an embarrassingly long time to realize that his arms were pinned above his head, and his ankles tethered to the ground. Both secured by irons with sutras adorning them - making the possibility of escape quite imposssible. Still, far be it for him not to try, and as he began to struggle, it was in that moment that he made another disturbing realization. He was _naked_.

Just as that final realization dawned, a rotting wooden door that had previously escaped his notice creaked slowly open and heavy purposeful footsteps echoed off the sagging wooden walls stained black with mold. The emaciated human that entered had dirt and grit covering his clothes and skeletal body. His threadbare shirt tattered beyond repair. Under normal circumstances, Inuyasha would have taken pity on this unfortunate man but instead all he felt an unexplained sense of loathing and dread as he caught sight of newcomer's cruel, detestable and disturbing mouth twisted into a sinister grin. The way those sunken, milky white eyes stared with mindless menace into panicked amber.

"Good, you're awake," a raspy male voice chuckled as the dishelved man shut the door behind him - those strange white eyes a little too _hungry_ for Inuyasha's liking as the man groaned with open want, " _Oh_ , you are a pretty one."

" _Oh shit_ ," Inuyasha breathed as his eyes widened in horror and he desperately began his struggles anew. Chest heaving erratically, Inuyasha tried to control his growing panic as he spat angrily, "Where the fuck am I and who the hell are you?"

"Who I am doesn't matter. What does matter is that you demons have been taking things that aren't yours for centuries," the man chuckled darkly as he casually made his way closer - his milky eyes slowly drinking in the hanyou's nude form, "It's time humans returned the favor."

Shuddering under the man's lustful gaze, Inuyasha tried to turn away in vain. The irons had been placed in such a way as to prevent such a movement. As the man came closer still, his putrid stench overwhelmed the senses making the poor hanyou gag and Inuyasha instinctively clenched his eyes shut. A move he soon regretted.

"I've never hurt any...," the hanyou began to argue before flinching as a coarse tongue suddenly caressed his skin followed by calloused fingers - the unexpected action stealing the words from his throat and replacing his defense with a single plea to " _stop_."

With each gentle pass over his flesh, each time those disgusting fingers lingered on a curve, the hanyou's chest heaved erratically and panic swelled in the deepest part of his soul. When the man's disgusting tongue suddenly disappeared and he heard the man take a step back - a part of his was infinitely relieved while another part began screaming at him to run. An order with which he would've been more than willing to comply had the situation allowed. Whatever relief he felt, however, was smothered at the sounds of clothing being removed. The poor demon's insides curled up and died even before he felt the man's mouth return to the nape of his neck. Felt a bare chest pressing against his backside as a bearded chin suddenly rested atop his shoulder.

"Such a hypocrit," the putrid man breathed in the hanyou's ear as two rough hands slid down his sides and came to rest just above his most intimate area, "How many women have you had in this position, hm? Did you think to stop when _they_ asked? _No_. _So relax_. I bet you'll even _enjoy_ it."

Inuyasha felt the strength bleed from his legs as the man continued his torment. Unable to formulate the words to defend himself as those calloused hands moved lower still, as this atrocity escalated, as cries of pain and grief began echoing off the decaying walls...as a figure with burning crimson eyes watched on from the shadows with a look of upmost satisfaction on her face.


	64. Griefstricken

Blood dripped steadily against the rotting floorboards as Inuyasha hung limply - supported only by those restraints that kept him prisoner. Broken. Alone. Trapped in a nightmare that no amount of screaming could save him from.

There had been no denying the underhanded way in which his body had started to crave it when the man within him had hit something buried inside. The random, unwanted and unexpected flashes of pleasure that seared through his body as the man continued his torment. After the first time that bastard had...had _finished_ , InuYasha couldn't stave off the disgust he felt at himself and what little he must've eaten beforehand was subsequently purged over the course of many, _many_ hours. If there was one thing this monster might be able to brag about to _civil_ society, something no other being could ever say, it would be that the _he_ had been the one to break the mighty InuYasha.

He'd long since stopped questioning how this turn of events came to pass. How he had ended up in this hellish existence. What he had done to deserve this. He knew it was probably Sesshomaru's doing. Probably drugged him and left him here to be tortured. To die. All his life that bastard had made it clear that he meant nothing at all to him. That it was his fault father and mother had died. Half-breeds were worthless after all. How many countless women too had made it clear that he was already a disgusting freak - hardly worth the limited affection they'd bestowed upon him? That no one in their right mind would ever love someone like him. He had hoped...but who would love him now? Now that this...this man had _defiled_ him in such a way. That he had learned things about himself he'd much prefer never knowing.

Shivering slightly at the memory, a few tears broke free and his head lolled sickeningly to the side. It had been a few hours since the man had left him here. Bleeding and battered. It would have been more merciful to slit his throat. To end this miserable existence. Instead, all he could do was wait until the man reappeared to inflict this gruesome form of torture once more. As he swallowed thickly and fought to stay awake, he let out a shuddering sigh and tried to imagine he was somewhere else. Somewhere pleasant. Somewhere safe.

In that brief moment, he saw a woman's face. Kind and perfect with blue eyes, sleek ebony hair and flawless porcelain skin. Her long slender fingers stroking his cheek almost lovingly as she cooed words of comfort he'd never hear. Telling him he was loved. That what happened didn't define him. That it didn't change her opinion of him. That he was still perfect and whole in her eyes. Her arms gently wrapped around him as they slept side by side and he choked back a sob as he felt the gentle rise and fall of her chest - a feeling of safety and belonging. Like nothing could ever hurt him again.

" _Why would this change anything?_ " the fictitious woman's voice echoed in his mind as her smiling face appeared before him and her phantom fingers brushed his bangs out of his eyes, " _After all, it didn't change your opinion of me, did it?"_

Nostrils flaring, Inuyasha felt a brief flash of clarity as a single name ricocheted in his skull and faint memories of a woman flew through his grief stricken mind. That woman wasn't a figment of his imagination. She had been real. So _heartbreakingly_ real. They'd...they had been...they _were_ in love. Together. _Mated_. After the banquet...over time she had grown to love him...although the memories were fading as quickly as they had come, it meant whatever was happening here...

" _It's not real_ ," he breathed hoarsely as the shackles that held him suddenly shattered - causing him to collapse against the ground as he tried to overcome the pain coursing through his broken body, " _Kagome_."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Now this is the point. They fancied him mad but madmen know nothing and he knew much more than they possibly could. Oh, how they should have seen him. Knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that the bottom of these stairs was where he was meant to be. They should have seen how wisely he proceeded –with what caution - with such stealth. Escaping the watchful eye of that silver haired man with the superior air. The voices. _They_ knew. They knew when what they _didn't_. This was where they should have been. Where it all was going to pass. He had become accustomed to the mysteries, learned not to question the voices when their knowledge of things surpassed his own. There were moments where large chunks of time was simply lost to him. Yet he did not, dare not question the voices that whispered in his ear. The voices that knew his past, present and future. That knew all and yet knew nothing.

As the blue spark flew high atop the fortress wall, he smiled and nodded once to himself in satisfaction. This indeed was where he was meant to be. The voices were right after all.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Days passed then weeks. Sota arrived on the night of the full moon as promised. Father had returned from his trip with his usual bitter attitude. A chest arrived - its contents unknown although Sota swore that it was filled to the brim with gold. Everything passed much as it also had until the morning the two suitors were supposed to arrive finally was here. Despite nothing seemingly wildly out of the ordinary, Kagome could never get past the feeling of wrongness that plagued her every waking moment. Although Kikyo and her had always been close, her sister had been by her side _constantly_ and to an almost suffocating degree. Sota was cold and distant, which was unlike him. Father, although still as abrasive as he had always been, had actually been almost pleasant to be around. Mother had been unusually chipper and warm.

"They'll be here soon," Kikyo sighed as she came to stand beside Kagome at the end of the pier, "Within the hour I imagine."

"Still don't like the idea of being sold," Kagome clipped back as she collected the threadbare shawl a little tighter around her shoulders, "Who knows what they'll want from us."

"Better to be wives than slaves," the elder sister countered - which earned a perturbed side-eyed glance from the younger, "I know you've heard about all the woman being stolen by the demons. It could be worse. Father could have actually sold us to one of _their_ kind."

"Still might," Kagome huffed as she glowered at the ocean like it offended her by existing, "Father has been acting strange. Everyone has been."

"Maybe the gravity of the situation finally occurred to him," Kikyo proffered as she looked thoughtfully into the clouds, "Realized that his daughters are all grown up. Getting married. That grandchildren will be coming forth shortly."

"Sound excited about that, why don't cha? Besides, if I have any say in it, he'll never lay eyes on my children," Kagome murmured as she wrinkled her nose in disgust, "I can forgive him for what's he done to us. I won't let that weigh on me but that doesn't mean his actions are not without consequences."

"That much is true," Kikyo responded as she shifted uncomfortably and gave her sister a side eyed glance, "All men should pay for the crimes they've committed."

"I'm not trying to be _vindictive_ ," Kagome groaned as she shook her head, "I just...with children, it's _different_. They can't protect themselves and Father, _unfortunately_ , is someone that children need to be protected from."

"Whatever you decide, I'll support," Kikyo hummed in approval as she moved a little closer and wrapped her arm around Kagome's shoulder, "We're in this together, you and I. Now and always."

"Doesn't it seem strange that two men from a wealthy family would seek out women from here though," Kagome muttered after a moment as she glanced over her shoulder at their humble...well, _slum_ for lack of a better vernacular, "I get they wanted twins but there are a lot of twins in the world. _And_ we aren't actually even twins."

"Not so very strange," Kikyo replied before sighing and adding, "After all..."

"I'm just saying this isn't _right_ ," Kagome interrupted as she furrowed her brow and chewed the inside of her cheek, "All of this feels like a dream. In my heart...I just...I feel like there's something I'm forgetting. Something I'm missing. I still can't remember anything before that day. I mean, I remember our family but...I'm missing someone. Someone important."

"Who could be more important than family?" Kikyo countered with a bemused chuckle - although Kagome swore she saw a flash of fear behind her sister's eyes, "I keep telling you everything is alright."

"That doesn't make it so," Kagome murmured as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath of sea air, "When I close my eyes, I can almost see him sometimes but I know he _can't_ be real. No one has eyes like that. Or dog ears. But...but when...whenever I see him, I feel safe. I feel loved."

"You fantasize about a dog earred man?" Kikyo snorted before giggling slightly, "You're putting me on."

"Don't laugh. It feels so real. Sometimes... sometimes I can even hear his voice," Kagome muttered as a deep crimson flushed her cheeks and she pouted slightly as her sister continued to giggle, "He might not be real but...but if I'm being honest I'd much prefer dog boy over these strangers. He seems kind. Gentle. Even...even in dreams, I just...I know he loves me."

"You sound crazy," Kikyo sighed happily as she wiped a single tear away that had broke free, "These men may love you too and they actually exist. You never know."

"I don't think I'm supposed to marry them," Kagome admitted as she sighed heavily and chewed the inside of her cheek, "I...I just have this feeling. I know...I know I'm supposed to be with this dream guy. He exists somewhere. Waiting for me."

"Dog boy doesn't exist Kagome," Kikyo clipped back harshly causing Kagome to start and stare at her sister in mild alarm, "You're describing a demon. Demons are evil, vindicative, cruel. Even if this demon _did_ exist, I'd _never_ let you be with him."

"Like you'd have any say in the matter," Kagome huffed in exasperation, "You're not the boss of me."

"He doesn't even love you because he isn't real," Kikyo continued to argue angrily, "You'd really want to be some demon's whore!?"

"Better than living a life _without_ love," Kagome hissed as she glared at her sister, "I'm being honest here and all you can do is laugh at me?!"

"We have a chance at a better life," Kikyo bit back, "At stability, at..."

"Is that all you care about?! _Stability_?!" Kagome screamed as she looked at her sister like she'd never seen her before in her life, "I want to be loved, Kikyo! That's not a crime!"

"You sound insane! This demon doesn't even _exist_ and you're still willing to throw everything away over him!" Kikyo screeched back as her face contorted in rage, "You'll never find him, know why?! He isn't _real_ , Kagome. But our family, me, these men we're supposed to marry? They are. So make your choice. Are you coming with me or not? Think long and hard about your decision because if you go, you're _screwing_ me as well."

As Kagome opened her mouth to argue, she faltered and tilted her head slightly to the side. There it was again. The feeling of wrong. However, this time she could pinpoint the cause. Kikyo had never, _would_ never, speak like this. Perhaps tease her a little bit but she knew Kikyo didn't want to marry these men either and she certainly _never_ cursed. Never, _never_ would she fight so hard to be shipped off to an unknown land with unknown men. Because she _did_ love stability and structure. Kikyo _hated_ change. The unknown was terrifying to her, even if she never said it out loud. To be fighting so hard, to act so confident, to make such bold proclamations could only mean one thing.

"It's _you_ ," Kagome whispered in mild horror as she took an involuntary step back, " _You're_ the one controlling this. _You're_ what's wrong here."

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

As he lay nude and curled up on the filthy ground, InuYasha's sobs were stifled at first as he attempted to hide his grief.

Despair clouded his already muddled mind with a heady blackness; the epiphany he believed he had, the way forward he had thought possible vanished to black, not blocked, but like it was never there to begin with. The notion of hope, of salvation had become meaningless. Whenever his mind lingered on such ideas, they began to feel like cruel tricks. Who was he to know whether this hell was reality, after all? It seemed like everything he knew was slowly trickling away. He couldnt remember things that should be impossible to forget. His mother's name. Where he came from. Faces. Did he even have any friends or at a minimum, anyone who might be concerned he disappeared into this hell? Who would look for him? Maybe his mind had created this Kagome, those memories as a coping mechanism. A way to handle his newfound existence. All the pain. The humiliation. Those felt very real. Too real to just be some common dream.

It felt like his mind was fragmented, breaking a little more with each passing moment. Maybe he was just going mad? That this Kagome - because what the hell type of name was that anyway - was the real illusion. A figment of his imagination. Maybe there was no palace, no Sesshomaru. Maybe...maybe he had always been here.

"I swear I'm gone for less a minute and everyone loses their mind," an familiar voice sighed in a melancholy tone as small, pale fingers gently brushed away a few stray tears, "Although, given your condition, I'd say you'd have a better excuse than most right now."

Starting at the unexpected sound and contact, InuYasha let out a startled gasp and his unfocused amber eyes looked around wildly for the source until they came upon a small woman with translucent hair and pale violet eyes. She looked so familiar, like he'd known her for most of his life. With a sigh of relief, he tried to focus on remembering her but fell just short.

"I know you," InuYasha choked hoarsely as he blinked sluggishly at the small woman kneeling before him before furrowing his brow, "Where did you come from?"

"Well I was on my way... _out_ ," the woman began slowly and with a pained sigh as her unoccupied hand gently placed a few tendrils of translucent hair behind her ear, "But something stopped me. Kept me trapped here. Not in this particular location. Just... _here_."

"Here," InuYasha repeated in a hollow, confused tone as he sniffled once and blinked up at her, "Where is here?"

"We're here in Lady Sango's village," the woman murmured affectionately as she reached down and ripped off a piece of her frock and began wiping the hanyou's face, "Well not here here but our _bodies_ are in Lady Sango's village. I'm not exactly sure where ' _here_ ' is if I'm being honest."

"Bodies. So I'm _dead_?" InuYasha choked as his eyes widened in horror and he blushed slightly as he was suddenly reminded that he was nude and exposed. Blushing furiously, he tried to cover himself as much as he was able as he continued, "So this is..."

" _You're_ not dead. Well _I_ am but you're not. Not yet anyway," the woman sighed as she sniffed once and glanced around for something, "Anyway, I imagine what's tethering my soul to this plane of existence is also trapping you here as well. They have Kagome too but I couldn't get close to her and I thought...it seemed you needed rescuing more than her anyway. From what I could see she was doing _just_ fine. Just couldn't get close to her."

"Kagomes real?" InuYasha breathed as tears welled in his eyes and hope dawned in his eyes. Maybe he wasn't insane after all.

"Yes," the woman affirmed as her lips formed a thin line and her violet eyes searched his face worriedly before she began speaking again - very slowly, "How much do you remember? Do you even know who I am?"

"I...I'm not sure," he admitted with a humiliated shake of his head - his shoulders curling slightly as he inhaled shakily and a few tears broke free, "I don't..."

"You'll be okay," the woman comforted as she gently cupped his face and brushed away the fallen tears with her thumb, "I'll tell you, alright? You are InuYasha. Lord Chancellor of the realm and brother of Lord Sesshomaru, the InuNoTaisho. I _was_ Shiori. Your Master of the House. I've been with you for over a hundred years now. You mated a miko named Kagome. And I think the person that trapped you here is her sister. Who I think it would be fair to say is quite possibly the worst person I've ever had the displeasure of encountering."

"Sister?" InuYasha repeated as he chewed over this information and sighed slightly in relief, "So I'm not crazy."

"No," Shiori laughed softly before adding in a teasing tone, "I mean, you've _always_ been a _little_ crazy but you're not insane if that's what you meant. Right now, you're just...well you've _obviously_ been tortured so it's _okay_ that you're, well, like this. You're okay."

A moment passed in tense silence as Shiori fidgeted nervously - casting occasional glances between the wooden door and the obviously broken hanyou.

"So this sister. She has Kagome?" InuYasha asked suddenly as he let out another shuddering breath and tried to muster his strength, "We need to go get her then, huh?"

" _Probably_ ," Shiori hummed in a slightly amused get sympathetic tone before her slight smile fell, "I couldn't get through to her. We could try but whatever this sister has become is more powerful than I am. I'm not sure we can do it alone."

"Well that's a plan if I ever heard one," InuYasha replied snarkily - sounding a little more like himself that he had been moments before as he sniffed pointedly and glanced back at the pool of blood and vomit - a shiver running down his spine at the sight, "You wouldn't have any clothes, would ya?"

"Unfortunately not," Shiori admitted as she followed his line of sight, "But I'm sure we can find some. Although, to be honest, I'm not sure the people I've seen here are even real so we can't be sure whether they have any spares or not. We might have to take them from someone. Might be risky though. If these people are real, I'd've hated to meet them in real life. They all seem..."

"Gross, creepy and evil?" InuYasha offered bitterly as he shakily got to his feet and prayed Shiori didn't look too closely at his injuries, "I know _exactly_ what you mean. Well, I guess first things first because I sure as hell am _not_ going to barge in there buck naked."

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

After centuries of serving as a healer, of seeing and preparing those she had known in life, this young woman was just another carcass in need of disposal. It was sad, yes, and each death broke her heart at least to a degree but once it was all said and done, it is what it is. All things came from dirt and to dirt they would return. The issue with winter burials, however, had to do with cremation and the complications that snow or ice may bring about. Would there be enough wood to spare, for example? Another complication was an imminent battle on the horizon and an enemy capable to raising the dead. Still, with a barrier in place, the latter fate should be avoided for this girl gone before her time. The healer's real concern was the girl's grieving mate. There had been something in his eyes that sent chills down her spine - a cruelty, an anger that spoke of nothing but pain ahead for some unsuspecting victim. She would need to speak with the elders about that and soon but first, she needed to prepare this latest carcass for their last rites.

"Let's see," the elderly healer whispered under her breath as she glanced around the various jars containing her post-mortem supplies, "I know I put those..."

Trailing off, the healer shivered as she suddenly felt her blood chill in her veins. That uncanny feeling that someone was watching, that something ominous was on the horizon hit her just before the sounds of something moving behind her echoed in her ears.

"Who's there?" the healer spat as she turned and took a defensive posture - her eyes widening in horror at what she saw. The girl, the very _dead_ girl, was unsteadily getting to her feet - obviously _still_ dead based on the way the corpse's mouth was slack, her eyes milky and unseeing, the unnatural movement of her extremities as she clumsily staggered before letting out a chilling moan.

"My god," the healer breathed as she took an involuntary step backward and looked towards the exit which was unfortunately on the other side of the room. Swallowing thickly, the healer's mind raced a mile a minute before she darted out of the hut with the speed only a baku could achieve and screamed as loudly as she could, " _ **WE HAVE A BREACH! GET THE MIKO IMMEDIATELY!**_ "

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Anything?" the young miko asked anxiously as she knelt beside a young man who merely waived his hand dismissively and furrowed his brow as their general looked on.

"There is something wrong but I can't quite pinpoint what's happening. One of the demons just sent up sparks, which what that means isn't clear, and something happened in one of the huts, one of their elderly is screaming and causing a ruckus but I can't hear her over the wind," the young man muttered - his eyes unfocused and his face morphed in confusion, "Other than that, the undead still haven't advanced. And...and well now, _wait_ , it looks like they have _another_ injured. A silver haired demon is down - looks bad. They seemed really worried about it."

"Can't you make the stupid crow get closer?" the miko huffed exasperatedly as a few of the others watching on muttered worriedly between themselves. Finally, a young man with brilliant orange hair stepped forward and waited for the general's permission before speaking.

"It sounds like whatever is _controlling_ the dead might have gotten through even though the dead haven't moved," the orange haired man sighed as he glanced around at the others gathered for affirmation, "The barriers are down, which would have given it the opportunity, and the sparks might have been a warning that something was wrong."

"The silver haired one will either be their major general or his brother," another solider added urgently as he too stepped forward to speak, "Maybe whatever is happening in the hut that we cannot see is one of their own died and has been possessed after death. I've heard reports of that happening myself. These demons have been mostly isolated and may not be aware."

"Perhaps we should send one of our own to check?" another young woman asked nervously as she began playing with her long ebony braid, "Let them know what we know so they can at least take precautions. We came all the way out here and if this gets out of hand, there won't be time for us to retreat. We need an answer so we know whether to help or get out of here before its too late."

"Agreed," the general sighed as he glanced around at the hundred or so men and women, "Perhaps more clarification was needed. I shall go and see whether..."

"Wait, it seems they've come with an answer," the young miko suddenly spoke as she glanced over her shoulder and furrowed her brow, "I sense an aura coming closer."

"You sure its one of theirs?" the general asked quietly as he narrowed his eyes to try to better see the newcomer to which the miko nodded, "The undead don't have an aura. I'm sure its a demon. A wolf I think? I can't tell. Its still a fair distance away."

"Well perhaps we'll have an answer as to what is happening after all," the general sighed in relief as he nodded once, "And we shall know our next course of action. If our assistance was truly unwelcome, they surely wouldn't only send one man. They'd send an army."

"For all we know, this might be a one man army," the ginger haired man muttered as he motioned to a few other closeby, "We should put up some defenses just in case."

"Perhaps that is wise," the general whispered as the demon in question came into view - his eyes glowing red and his hands balled into fists, shaking with some unknown emotion that was visible even from a distance, "He may not be one of theirs."


	65. Rogue Agent

As much as Sango loved her friends, knowing them as only she did, she was fairly certain having InuYasha and Kagome trapped inside her mind might end up being a rare form of torture in and of itself. The disturbing thought had flitted across her mind as she saw Kohaku awkwardly move across the courtyard - obviously believing he was being stealthy and failing miserably - to make his way towards the stairs. Shortly thereafter, Miroku's blue sparks had been brought to her attention and there was a small delegation going to provide backup. Using an alternative route of course as the staircase was far too open in the event of an attack. Sango stayed behind while the others prepared for an attack. She alone would serve to protect her dearest friend if the world crumbled around them. She alone possessed the will and the ability to do what needed to be done.

Knowing now that it was the undead souls inside Kohaku that caused the break in his sanity made the possibility that her friends' souls might need a new host soon all too real. Except this situation was crucially different than the events that occurred with Kohaku. While Kohaku had been an innocent child, not understanding what he was doing, if it came down to it...if it came down to watching her friend's souls be destroyed and devoured by that evil bitch and Sango devouring them herself...

The baku knew what she would do.

Hopefully, though, that turn of events was merely a worst case scenario that would never come to pass. Whatever was happening, it was obvious Inuyasha was under some type of spell and given the sparks Miroku had sent up, Kagome probably was as well. Someone was manipulating the bond between the pair.

Sighing, the baku brushed a few stray hairs out of her friends face as she once again considered the eerie possibility of her friends bouncing around in her skull. Naturally, Sango knew she could stop their souls from forever being trapped within that evil bitch but again, that would mean she would need to _eat_ their souls. She _was_ more powerful than her little brother so perhaps she'd be able to handle the newcomers a little better - maybe even find a way to deposit their souls back into their original hosts - _or_ perhaps her strength would be used to destroy what little of the world was left if their souls were corrupted. The world was so uncertain. These next few hours would either pass as a blip in the course of her life, or they'd be the beginning of the end.

Inuyasha's amber eyes were still staring blankly at the ceiling of the small hut as they had been over the course of the past few hours - his mouth moving soundlessly. Every once in a while a small cry of pain would escape and his body would twitch but other than that, there was no indication that he would be waking up any time soon. It unnerved her too that the longer he was in this condition - the colder his body became. A bluish tinge adorned his lips and his skin was clammy to the touch. His pulse slowed. His breathing was becoming shallower. He was dying...and all Sango could really do was watch... and pray.

 ** _"WE HAVE A BREACH! GET THE MIKO IMMEDIATELY!"_** the healer's desperate scream made her nearly jump out of her skin - just as Inuyasha's entire being spasmed and his already unsteady breath began coming in shallow, panicked pants. Frozen, torn between attempting to care for her friend and addressing the lapse in security, Sango's chocolate eyes widened as she shakily reached for her weapon. She knew which he'd want her to do. She could almost hear his snarky voice telling her to fuck off - that it'd take more than a little curse to kill him - and it brought a mournful, small smile to her lips.

" _Fuck you right back._ _You better not die, or I'll bring you back to kill you myself_ ," Sango breathed tearfully as she got to her feet and rushed outside - casting one last forlorn glance at her subtly convulsing friend before heading towards the sounds of chaos.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kagome stood there for what felt like an eternity staring at her sister in abject horror. All she could do was stare lifelessly at those icy blue eyes that held a terrifying coldness she had never seen before. Those eyes that were once filled with so much purpose and love were now replaced with bitterness and hate. There was no trace of Kikyo. The only thing that _did_ show any resemblance to the old Kikyo - the beloved sister who had been her ray of sunshine, her friend, her most precious gift in this life - was the shell this bitter soul inhabited. A soul Kagome had never met in her life.

"Clever girl," the stranger crooned as a feral grin grew on that heartbreakingly familiar face, "You've found me out."

"What are you?" Kagome managed to ask in barely more than a whisper as she took an involuntary step back. As she did so, black clouds began sprawling across the sky, billowing in from the west. The wind picked up, howling, crying, warning, baying like a wolf into the night. The first crack of lightening rent the air and within seconds the rolling boom of the thunder reverberated overhead.

"A beast," the stranger crooned before adding angrily as the storm picked up and the heavens opened up drenching everything around them, "Created from the _ashes_ , the _destruction_ , the _pain_ those you claim to love inflicted upon us."

" ** _I have no idea what you're talking about!_ "** Kagome protested - shouting above the deafening storm beating down and she glanced over her shoulder at the angry waves crashing upon the pier, _**"As far as I know, we've been at this village! Now answer me! Who are you?! What do you want?!"**_

"I am Kikyo and yet I am not," the stranger responded cryptically- her cruel voice chillingly clear above the rain pouring down around them - coming from everywhere and yet nowhere at the same time, "Before they _killed_ me, before you were _seduced_ , _brainwashed_ , _tortured_ by those animals, this was our world. Built from your memories. And even now, you want to return to those demons. Those disgusting, foul creatures who care _only_ for themselves. This _demon_ you claim _loves_ you? He is no better than any other of his kind. He _raped_ you, _tortured_ you, kept you _prisoner_. You've been _brainwashed_ into believing he cares. I want to set you free."

"That...that can't be," Kagome murmured as she furrowed her brow and shook her head, "And...and that's not fair either. Whatever it is _you've_ done has made me forget anything he _might've_ done. And you're doing a _shit_ job at convincing me that _anything_ you say is true."

"My, my, such _language_ ," the stranger inhabiting her sister's body laughed softly as the wind continued to whip around their frames, "It is no matter. Do you wish to hear his _confession_? How he _admitted_ to these barbaric acts?"

"It doesn't matter _what_ you show me, I won't believe it," Kagome snarled as she wiped the rain out of her eyes, "If you're capable of creating this illusion, I'm _sure_ you're able to make that up too!"

"What will you do then?" the stranger laughed softly as the storm escalated and massive waves began breaking angrily against the beachfront, "You've always been weak. You really think you can beat me?"

"Maybe not," Kagome hissed as she shrugged off the shawl and rolled up her sleeves, "But I can sure as hell try."

She lunged.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"A stroke of luck to have so many capable of casting barriers, wouldn't you agree?" the faux Kagome commented casually as they continued to descend the staircase carved into the mountain's edifice, "It is good to be so prepared in times such as these."

"Yeah," Sota chuckled nervously as he cast the imposter a side eyed glance, "We're pretty lucky."

"It seems that demon we left behind is slow to act, however. I doubt that is wise," the imposter added as her lips twitched upwards and she gave the youngster a knowing look, "His delay is strange, wouldn't you agree?"

"I'm sure he knows what he's doing," Sota commented dismissively as he tried to keep a neutral face, "Each demon does things their own way."

"Hm," came the woman's skeptical sounding acknowledgment, "Perhaps we shall get more clarity when we arrive in the main portion of the fortress. Will InuYasha be there to greet us? I have missed him so."

"I'm sure he has more important things to worry about. He knows you're with me so he knows you're safe. One less thing to worry about," Sota replied in as confident a tone as he could muster before adding quickly, "Not that he doesn't care or something. He just has a lot on his mind."

"Undoubtedly," the woman who looked like his sister chuckled softly before furrowing her brow, "I imagine Inuyasha is quite occupied _elsewhere_."

There was something in the way she replied that has Sota's hair standing on edge. She knew. Kikyo knew InuYasha was down for the count. Which meant Kikyo probably knew he was lying. This was bad. Very bad. Still, she seemed determined to keep up this very poor excuse of a facade so perhaps not all was lost quite yet.

"There is a lot going on," Sota countered with a strained chuckle, "You know that."

"Of course," the woman formerly known as Kagome hummed thoughtfully as the pair continued their descent down the stairs, "It seems that we do have someone waiting for us. Perhaps this messenger brings news."

"I'm sure," Sota sighed as the bottom of the stairs came into view - an entirely too happy Kohaku waiting for them, "How fortunate he is the one they sent to greet us."

"How fortunate indeed," the imposter murmured as her lips formed a thin line and a flash of anger cross her face. Or was it fear?

**XXXXXXXXXX**

"You said you were trapped here?" Inuyasha grunted quietly as he awkwardly tried to fit into the too tight pants they'd managed to snag from an unsuspecting villager. Nodding once in silent response, the silver haired woman gently moved the tattered curtain out of the way to check no one was watching before letting it go and taking a step back.

"I died. Matter of time really," Shiori replied in a sad, distant tone as she glanced over her shoulder and gav the hanyou a reassuring smile. Sighing once, she added in a teasing tone, "Figures that now is when I go. When _you_ need me most. I was always excellent at my job. Prided myself on knowing what you needed before you knew yourself. You couldn't have asked for a better servant."

"That...that sounds terrible," Inuyasha snorted as he wrinkled his nose and tried to force the pants up the last few inches, "I sure as hell hope I never made you feel like that's all you were. _Just_ a servant, I mean. Someone to be at my beck and call. Doesn't sit right with me."

"It _never_ sat right with you but it was my job and I was good at it," Shiori laughed softly as she gave him an affectionate smile, "Its the way the world worked. You treated me and all the others better than we could have hoped for."

"Ain't that a glowing recommendation. I treated you better than how you _hoped_ ," Inuyasha muttered miserably as he struggled with the entirely too tight pants and cringed when the material snagged on some of his lingering injuries before adding in a voice almost too soft to hear, " _Sounds like I deserve this shit more like._ "

"You most certainly didn't deserve what happened," Shiori hissed angrily as she set her jaw and glared - turning to face him with a defiant, indignant look, "You almost died protecting us more than once. Sacrificed and fought so we could have a life worth living. We were never just servants to you. We mattered. Had worth. You loved us like we were your own flesh and blood. That's more than can be said for most of our parents or families so don't you _ever_ say you deserve this hell."

Blinking stupidly at the young woman, Inuyasha struggled to formulate a proper response. It would've been easier if he could back these statements up with concrete fact. As it was, he was already struggling to recognize this place as an illusion. To be honest, he couldn't remember his alleged former life in vivid detail - mainly relying on what this young woman had told him alongside a few sporadic feelings of familiarity and fuzzy memories.

"Sorry," Shiori sighed after a moment as she took in his frazzled expression and shook her head, "I know this is hard for you. I know it is. But it'll make sense once its all said and done. Just know, no matter what happens, I don't blame you for how my life ended. For my lot in life. Honestly, you were the reason I had what I did have and I don't regret a moment of it. If I had to do it again, I wouldn't change a thing. Well, except for dying. That I could do without."

A companionable silence fell over the pair as Inuyasha finally managed to stuff himself in the overly confining garment and the bat hanyou continued to watch for approaching enemies.

"So...this Kagome," Inuyasha began after a moment in which he tried to strech the pants so they wouldn't cut him more than they undoubtedly would, "You said you saw her. Is it a barrier or..."

"I'm not entirely sure," Shiroi replied as she chewed the inside of her cheek and furrowed her brow, "I just know that I couldn't get close to where she's being kept. I could see her from a distance but...but there was something holding me back. A barrier _would_ make sense but I've never encountered a barrier like _that_."

"Well that..." Inuyasha began before a terrible rumble erupted from deep within the ground - the earth itself moving like it was caught on the waves of the sea as the run down hut shook violently. The two beings were barely able to keep themselves standing upright as an angry clap of thunder echoed all around them quickly followed by the sounds of a brutal storm surging outside.

" _The hell_ ," Inuyasha breathed as he struggled to the window and looked outside - the world continuing to shake around him as he tried to find a cause. This world wasn't real and if it was falling down around them then maybe...just maybe something was shaking its foundations.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Why hello you two," Kohaku murmured affectionately as he gave the imposter a once over and grinned, "So nice of you to join us."

"Hey...so, um, Kohaku, I need you to..." Sota began awkwardly as he tried to figure out how to tell the young boy that there was danger present before nearly dying when the baku beat him to the punch.

"Need me to take care of this impostor, right? I mean, _obviously_. Duh. Dumb question," Kohaku giggled in a somewhat manic tone as he turned a wicked grin at the miko. Before either Kikyo or Sota could react, Kohaku took a step forward, gripped the miko's wrist tightly, and watched her form crumple to the ground.

"See, they'll take care of it. Don't you worry," Kohaku hummed happily as he kept an iron grip on the miko's wrist and plopped down on the ground next to the unmoving miko - his eyes slightly unfocused as he sighed in a carefree manner, "Just make sure I'm always touching her. Otherwise she'll break free."

"Oh... _okay_?" Sota responded with a nervous chuckle as he gave the young baku a weary glance, "How'd you know that would work?"

"Didn't," Kohaku admitted as he gave the young priest a strange, humor-filled grin, "Good thing it did, huh? This might've been awkward."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

One demon. A hundred humans. There was a stillness on both sides as they stared each other down.

"We have no wish to fight you," the general called out in a nervous tone as the miko nearest to him knocked her bow, "Turn back now and we will leave in peace. Consider the message received. We are not welcome here."

Taking a shaky breath, Ginta could only glare as his body shook with thinly veiled rage. The need for revenge, for _blood_ , was like a rat gnawing at his soul. Relentless. Merciless. Unyielding. He needed someone to suffer, to be punished for what happened to her. Emptiness filled his heart. The weight of shear nothingness consumed his soul, threatening to kill him entirely if he didn't take action and soon. It was their fault. Their fault she was dead.

"No," Ginta managed to ground out as he shook his head against their offer to resolve this peacefully. They were beasts. Worth less than the dirt under his feet. They had no remorse for their actions. For the death, for the destruction. This sudden change of heart meant nothing. It was a trap anyway. A way to get inside the fortress. To take more from him than they already had. A trap. A trap and nothing more.

" _He's a beserker_ ," the miko murmured in a terrified whisper - just loud enough for the general to hear, " _Look at him. I think he's a rogue. He's obviously not in his right mind. I...I don't think they sent him._ "

" _I realize that,_ " the general murmured back as he furrowed his brow - casting a worried glance at the mousy haired woman, " _Perhaps...perhaps if we wait...the demons will realize he's left them. Surely they wouldn't've allowed one demon to come face so many of us. Especially one in such a state of mind."_

 _"Wait for what? For him to attack. Our barriers can only reach so far,"_ the miko hissed as she raised her bow and sighed shakily, " _If he's here, he's probably a lord. Probably strong enough to take half our ranks down by himself. We need to do something. I don't think retreating is an option."_

Nodding grimly, the general had to agree with the miko's assessment. The time to act was now. But what would it cost to do so?


	66. Handicaps

" **GET _DOWN_**!" a deep, harsh voice boomed as yet another living corpse swung a bony hand inches away from the back of one of the baku warrior's head just a second too late. The young man screamed in pain as he stumbled forward right into the path of the two rotten bodies he had been holding off. It took less than a minute for the poor lad's screams to cut off unnaturally as he plummeted to the ground - unmoving.

Adrenaline flooded the dragon's system as he slammed his claw down against a dead man's skull - eviscerating it with a sickening crack. His heart pumped and beat in his chest as though it was trying to explode. No matter how many of these damn things they killed there were hundreds more behind them. It was an exercise in futility trying to hold the line and prevent them from spilling into the courtyard below. It had only taken the undead horde a few minutes to scale the fortress wall. Their movements desperate and erratic. A few moments, less than the blink of an eye, was all it had taken for all hell to break lose. Luckily, reinforcements had arrived moments after the blue sparks faded against the grey winter sky but that was little solace in the midst of this battle. A part of him wanted to grab Sango - fighting her own battle in the courtyard against some unseen nemesis - and run for the hills but instead he remained where he was. He had to face it. There was only one thing he could do: fight like hell and pray they all made it out of this alive.

Initially, Miroku had held back his true form for fear of accidentally hurting an ally but as yet another demon fell victim to the unrelenting army of the undead, he realized he had no choice. These bastards couldn't - wouldn't - make it past them. He had transformed - what little help that had been. It was evident in the ways the cadavers avoided - for the most part - going one on one with a fully transformed Miroku en masse made it clear they _were_ capable of higher thought or at a _minimum_ there was someone pulling the puppet strings. Anyone with half a brain knew it would be suicide to rush a dragon in his true form. Were the corpses truly brainless that thought would never had occurred to them. Instead, these unholy abominations focused more on hand to hand combat when the bakus' usually potent illusions failed to make a difference and their supernatural speed - excellent for escape and avoidance - merely left openings for these beings to get through their limited, _clearly_ inexperienced ranks. Steam bellowed out of his nose as his sapphire eyes narrowed and he tried to take an accounting of those few comrades who _had_ arrived. Their numbers were far too few. Unfortunately, those few were falling like flies.

" _Shit_ ," Miroku cursed under his breath as he swung his tail angrily knocking a dozen corpses back over the wall from whence they came. It gave him an uneasy feeling that the corpses had attacked when they had. Perhaps this Kikyo spirit had called these beasts to action when she realized the game was up or perhaps it had been premeditated. In either case, they were outnumbered and there was no way to communicate they needed reinforcements. Again, all he could do was pray.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

A monstrous gale screamed under dark and serious clouds. The sea crashed on the coast - rage manifested in water, turbulent and unforgiving. Two figures battled amidst the merciless storm - neither gaining the upper hand.

" ** _TRAITOR_!" **Kikyo screamed as she effortlessly avoided Kagome's desperate attempts to land a solid blow, **"YOU _DARE BETRAY ME?! I DIED FOR YOU! I SUFFERED SO YOU WOULD LIVE AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME?!"_**

" _Again_ , you erased my memories so I can _honestly_ say I have no idea what you're talking about!" Kagome bellowed back as she glared at the phantom hatefully - her hair sticking against her sweaty cheeks as she panted heavily. It was clear that whomever this bitch was had no interest in actually causing her any harm. No matter how hard she fought this...this thing never tried to attack her in kind. With a huff of exasperation, Kagome continued as she threw up one hand in frustration, "Listen, I'm _sorry_ you died if that is what happened. I'm sorry but that's _not_ my fault. I _loved_ my sister. More than anything! I _never_ would've hurt her! But the Kikyo _I_ knew would just want me to be _happy_."

"That Kikyo no longer exists," the specter hissed as she hovered menacingly above the ground and waited for the next lunge.

" _Clearly_ ," Kagome growled as she watched the beast that looked so much like her beloved sister wearily, "If that is you Kikyo, let me just say I'm disappointed in you. You're _better_ than what you've become."

"Is that so?" the phantom laughed bitterly while sporting an angry scowl, "You have _no_ idea what I'm capable of."

"You're capable of a lot _obviously_ ," Kagome calles out as she watched the being who stole her sister's form sway menacingly back and forth amidst the heavy rain crashing down to the soaked sand around them, "You've wiped my memory. Created this world and trapped me here. The real question I have is why? If it's true they tortured me, why not just _rescue_ me? Why all this? Why pretend it didn't happen?"

"Would you rather remember being raped? Being tortured? The pain? Your mind was addled little girl. You _barely_ remembered yourself, much less _me_ ," Kikyo hissed as she narrowed her eyes in silent challenge, "I was being _merciful_."

"I don't buy it," Kagome clipped back as she scowled and rolled her eyes, "Who is the man I was describing? I'm not _that_ creative. He's _real_. Who is he?"

"Your _master_ ," Kikyo snarled, "You were _gifted_ to him so he could use you for his _sadistic_ pleasure. Any love you perceive you have for him is a lie. _Surely_ you remember the stories? Of women kept in bondage who forgot themselves and fell in love with their captors to cope with the abuse they faced? Any kindness he _may_ have shown was _after_ he made you doubt your survival. It isn't _real_ Kagome! He doesn't _love_ you! He _used_ you!"

"But I loved him?" Kagome asked just loud enough to be heard above the storm as her angry facade faded and she sighed sadly, "I do remember. I just...I'd much prefer to remember for myself. To know for myself. I can't trust your word or even if you really are my sister. I just can't. Not after you tricked me like this."

"I'm sorry for the deception. And the posturing," Kikyo sighed apologetically as the storm subsided and she lowered herself into the damp sand. Giving her sister a sheepish smile, the undead miko continued, "Its just you always responded better to action rather than lecture. I thought it would be best given everything. It appears I was mistaken. Still, are you sure you want to remember? It isn't pretty."

"Tell me how you're doing all of this first. I understand you're dead but...but that doesn't explain anything," Kagome sighed as she eyed the figure skeptically before finally lowering her guard, "But I have to admit you know too much about me to just be some stranger. I want to believe you have good intentions. That you _are_ my sister. _Really_ I do but..."

A sudden blast in the distance cut off the rest of her speech as the world around them shimmered before righting itself.

"What was _that_?" Kagome asked as she furrowed her brow and looked towards the direction of the sound - missing the outraged look and flicker of red behind Kikyo's eyes.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Everything here reeks," InuYasha grumbled as he made his way through the strange village as casually as possible, "And everyone seems to be...I dunno. Like they're pissed at the world. I can feel their bitterness."

"Well they _are_ dead and trapped. Can you really blame them?" Shiori asked with a prolonged sigh, "I died just when my life was becoming perfect. I...I had just found my soul mate. I can't even imagine what he's going through and I can't say I'm exactly _thrilled_ to be here."

"At least we're together though," InuYasha sighed as he eyed the barrier in the distance wearily, "And maybe...maybe there'll be a way to bring you back."

"There is," Shiori admitted before rolling her eyes, "I doubt your brother would be willing to use such a power on someone like me though. Half-breeds have no worth. I'm just a servant. Even in _death_ my only purpose is to serve _you_."

Unsure how to respond to that statement, InuYasha opted for a sympathetic smile and decided to change the subject.

"Well we just need to get out of here," InuYasha mutters awkwardly, "And then maybe I can convince him to do something."

"Good luck with that," Shiori laughed bitterly as she huffed in frustration, "This is all his fault. If he hadn't...if he had just been a decent...I just..."

Inuyasha became increasingly nervous as his companion began struggling to vocalize her thoughts on the matter. Her anger almost becoming tangible as she continued.

"I just want the bastards who ruined my life to pay, you know? That...it's their fault. All their fault. All of this was completely avoidable," she finally huffed as she threw a hand up in frustration, "I'm not even free when I die! I might as well be in chains. At least when I was alive and in the palace I got _paid_. I'm basically a _slave_ here with no chance at freedom."

"I'll free you," InuYasha promised as he cast her a nervous glance, "I'll get out of here and have Sesshomaru bring you back. I swear. You can't talk like..."

"Oh can't I?" Shiori clipped back as her eyes tinged red, "I can't be upset about all of this? You're just as bad as them. Telling me what I can and cannot do. Even after you found out Ginta imprinted, you made me perform my duties. Even though I was _basically_ your equal. You _still_ only saw me as a servant."

"Shiori, I didn't..." InuYasha began as he stopped waking and turned to face her, "Listen I'm sorry. Although I don't remember much, I hope...I know I didn't feel that way about you and I'm sorry if I made you feel like that. I am."

"Oh are you?" Shiori spat back bitterly as something evil continued to close around her soul, "You're just like them!"

Before InuYasha had a chance to defend himself, he found himself being blasted backwards as the girl raised her hand in the blink of an eye - her power swirling around her as she advanced.

"You could've freed me years ago! I defended you for decades but the truth is you _liked_ being the only half-demon with power," Shiori hissed as she sent another blast that had him careening into a nearby hut, "You _loved_ owning us as slaves. Sure you paid us but we still weren't free! Couldn't even leave the god damn fortress without permission. Had to be at your beck and call! And the worst was that I loved you, InuYasha. I _loved_ you and you never even spared a glance my way! Why _would_ you?! I'm just a servant. Dirt under your feet!"

" _Stop_ ," InuYasha groaned as he got to his feet amidst the rubble- realization setting in as the reason everyone seemed evil dawned on him, "This isn't you talking. It's this place. You need to..."

"I don't _need_ you telling me what _I_ need!" Shiori bellowed as her eyes flashed red and she glared, "I don't..."

A sudden blast from the direction of the barrier drew her attention away from her little speech. The very ground shaking beneath their feet. Something powerful had just entered the mix.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Are. You. _Seriously_. Going. To. Just. _Stand_. There?!" Sango bellowed as she danced around the undead bat demon. The demon she was addressing mere stood by - stoic and emotionally unattached as ever. Sparing a withering glare his way, the baku snarled as she turned her attention back to the opponent she was desperately attempting to distract, "Dammit Sesshomaru. Use that damn sword of yours already!"

It was, of course, an open secret that the daiyoukai had the power to bring men back from the dead. InuYasha had told her once that, as far as he knew, his bastard half-brother only used it on enemies so he could kill them over and over. Well, that was only partially true. Sesshomaru, allegedly, used it on Rin once after another lord tried to use the girl as leverage but accidentally killed her in the process. Still, whether the latter was true or not, he had the power to end this attack and bring Shiori back.

"I cannot," he responded quietly - his expression never changing as he continued, "The demons of the underworld are being held at bay. Her soul is still among us."

"Are you saying she's not really dead?" Sango barked incredulously as she dodged a malicious swipe that came a little to close for comfort to which Sesshomaru subtly shook his head and replied in a neutral tone, "Even a baku should be able to smell death upon her."

"We can't attack her outright if there's still a chance," Sango swore softly before risking another glance, "Where the hell is Ginta? Maybe..."

"I saw him leave the fortress about an hour ago," one of the half demons watching the scene wearily admitted, "I know no one was supposed to leave but...but I didn't...I didn't think I had the authority to tell him to stay."

" _Shit_ ," Sango cursed as she dodged yet another clumsy swipe and tried to think of a plan of action. There was only one reason she could think of for Ginta to leave without telling anyone. He was going to confront the humans. It was suicide, of course. There was no possible way he didn't know Shiori had died and better men had been driven mad by far less. _Especially_ if she had turned into _this_ before his eyes.

"Take the other half-demons and go find him," Sango ordered as she drew the zombie's attention back towards the hut from which she emerged by gracefully flipping over the corpse and landing a solid kick in her back, "Now go!"

"All of us or..." the young half-demon inquired awkwardly as he grimaced and wrung his hands.

"All of you! Now _go_ _**dammit**_!" Sango bellowed - trying to keep her attention on the threat at hand rather than the sounds of the battle on the wall. If Miroku fell...well, she highly doubted she could keep this up for very long.

**XXXXXXXXXXXX**

The dry, wintry air was so brittle it could snap and if didn't soon, the parties subject to it might. Fear sat heavily upon the humans' chests as they watched the wolf with thinly veiled apprehension. An hour, at least, had passed and yet neither had made a move - the humans hoping that this situation could be diffused without bloodshed and the wolf warring with himself amidst his grief.

"This is your fault," Ginta managed to growl hoarsely as he clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white, "She's _dead_ because of you. She's gone. _Gone_."

"I'm sorry for your loss," the general offered gently as the miko beside him kept her bow taut and ready to fire, "Truly I am. I know the pain you must be feeling. I lost my sister. My daughter. Still, I'm sure your love wouldn't want this. You're outnumbered young..."

" _Young_?" Ginta laughed bitterly as his eyes flashed red, "I'm centuries old and I've got millennia ahead of me. Millennia I'll have to face alone. If you hadn't attacked us, I...we could've been happy. Had children. A family. But you robbed us of that. What the hell did we ever do to you?! We were trying to reach a peaceful solution. Working on treaties. Negotiations were underway and still you attacked."

"The half-breed hadn't contacted our camp in over a month and entire villages were murdered to show that negotiations were..." a random soldier piped up angrily before Ginta cut him off.

"That wasn't us bastards," Ginta clipped back - his voice still hoarse and filled with anger, "We had entire council meetings dedicated to figuring out who the hell did that! _Why_ would we want to provoke you?! That makes no god damn sense! Oh and _just_ because that happened doesn't give you the right to kill and torture innocents. Two wrongs don't make a right! Just the audacity of it all! You killed as many as you could and burned our home to the ground! Tortured and murdered _servants_ in cold blood like they had _anything_ to do with matters of the state! Hundreds of demons who had never done a damn thing except be born into a role they never asked for! You even killed some of your own just for being associated with us! Don't make yourselves out to be the victims in this war! Don't even..."

"War is war. Casualties are an unfortunate consequence. As it were, there is a greater evil we must face together," the general replied honestly - surprised and suspicious of this speech, "In any case, if it truly was not the council who authorized those killings, Lord InuYasha should have informed..."

"Lord InuYasha couldn't do _shit_ because he was fucking _dying_ ," Ginta chuckled bitterly as he bared his fangs, "He had _no_ idea what was happening and the rest of us had _no_ idea who was responsible for the massacre. For all _we_ knew, it could've been _your_ men! To stir up support for this _pointless_ war!"

The general cursed softly under his breath and glanced at his second in command. The miko for her part looked frustrated and restless. It was clear she believed the best course of action would be to kill the wolf where he stood. He was outnumbered after all and had shown no abilities that could decimate them all in one blow as others had before him. Most likely he specialized in hand to hand combat.

It was the sounds of a not too distant battle and the thundering of hundreds of feet that suddenly distracted him.

" _You hear that?_ " the miko suddenly hissed in a frightened tone as she began looked past the wolf and into the woods behind him, " _We need to move. We don't have time for this."_

"The real enemy is coming," the general called out with a heavy sigh, "It is time to put away our differences and face it as one."

"I'd rather _die_ ," Ginta hissed as he clenched his fist so tightly his knuckles turned white and his eyes glowed red. Just as he lunged, the miko fired her arrow straight at his broken heart.


	67. Stockholm Syndrome

"Dammit Shiori, you need to fight this," InuYasha groaned as he tried to force himself to his feet - his lingering injuries making it more difficult than usual. Besides, short of attacking her directly - which he wouldn't do - there was little to be done other than reason with her. The problem was he never had been good at talking people off a ledge.

"Say I _did_ do that shit! What the hell do you want me to do about it?!" InuYasha huffed angrily as his temper got the better of him and he dodged another attack, "That's just how things are! I don't know much but I know half-demons got the shit end of the stick! Sounds to me like you're blaming me for shit I have no control over!"

"You were _Chancellor_! Instead of doing something with your position you spent all your time throwing the world's most pathetic pity party!" Shiori hissed as her eyes glowed red before continuing in a mocking tone, " _Oh no, the woman I love got brutally raped so she went to live with a woman to feel safe instead of me, a man she didn't know. My life is so hard. No one suffers like I do. Guess I won't bathe or do anything for weeks. Instead I'll get wasted every other night. Know what sounds like a great idea?! I'll write hundreds of letters describing every single thing that ever happened to me for the poor girl I imprinted on because that's totally not creepy or a waste of time. Waste money I don't have to spare on gifts. Won't make her feel pressured or anything. I'm not trying to manipulate her - I just want to remind her she doesn't really have a choice. It's me or nothing. __Look at that, I've been fucking stabbed. Guess I'll prepare myself for death and cry myself to sleep all alone. I don't have to do anything. Shiori will do all the research, draft all the proposals, organize the submissions and summarize the comments anyway. Why do anything when I have someone to do it for me? I can't do anything for..."_

 _"Shut_ _the_ ** _fuck_** _up,"_ InuYasha snarled as he set his jaw and glared. It took every ounce of self control he had not to beat the ever living shit out of this woman. Whatever he'd done to her, if anything, that didn't give her the right to mock him. Especially given what he was able to piece together. Even if what she said was true, she made it sound so pathetic. Like he was some self-centered, creepy, selfish asshole who spent his life taking advantage of others. Of her. Of Kagome. What made her taunting worse - oh so much worse - was the cruel and unusual form of torture he'd endured only moments before at the hand of that evil bastard. Torture he'd suffered as punishment because he _dared_ love Kagome...

At the memory of the man moving within him, InuYasha cringed and shuddered subtly. This action, however, was interpreted very differently by the bat demon who clearly was losing her mind.

"Aw, did I hit a nerve? Look at you. _Pathetic_ ," Shiori laughed bitterly - her translucent hair whipping around her as her power swirled unchecked. The hanyou for his part was at a loss for what to do.

"I _said_ shut _the_ _**fuck**_..." InuYasha snarled more confidently than he felt before a scent he hadn't smelled in decades wafted into his nostrils. A scent he'd know anywhere. A scent he never believed he would smell again. At least, not while he still drew breath.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Panting heavily, Sango held her hand to the deep gouge in her shoulder, but no matter the pressure she applied the blood had still gushed between her fingers and oozed under her hand. She'd gotten sloppy. Landed a little closer than she planned. Still, even with her injury, she refused to let anyone else fight this battle.

"Stay back!" Sango barked as she narrowly avoided being hit again - several onlookers beginning to advance pausing and giving her incredulous looks as she continued , "I've told you all to head towards the wall! It wasn't a request. It's an order! Now go!"

"You're hurt. Let someone else fight her," a young wolf demon growled as he gripped his weapon tightly and glanced over his shoulder at Koga, "How can you just stand there and watch?"

"If it came down to it, I don't think I would be able to cut her down," the wolf lord answered with a bitter chuckle, "Shes as much my daughter as Ginta is my son."

"She's _dead_!" the young wolf spat back as several other onlookers murmured their agreement, "And if you're _so_ concerned, why didn't _you_ go after your son? Ginta probably offed..."

Wisely cutting himself off, the youngster cowered as several observers gasped and Koga's nostrils flared angrily.

"You think _I_ should've gone after him," Koga asked heatedly as Sango continued fighting in the background albeit less gracefully, "Are you questioning me kid?"

"N...never Lord Koga," the youngster replied in a small voice before glancing at the injured baku, "It's just...well, we need to...to do _something."_

"We've sent a party to bring my son home. We _have_ done something," Koga growled before gesturing at the fight, "Lady Sango is attempting to ensure Shiori's body stays intact even as the army of the undead is attempting to breach our gates. Would you have me - one of the only experienced warriors -leave the fortress _unprotected_?"

"I...I never meant..." the young boy backpedaled meekly as he glanced at the onlookers and cringed, "Just...Lady Sango is hurt. And we all need to go to the wall and I just thought...maybe we could give her a break?"

"Lady Sango is more experienced and stronger than you could ever hope to be. Injuries and all," Koga hissed before sighing and pointing towards the wall, "Go. Just...go. My place is here in the event I'm needed. Your battle has yet to begin."

"But Lord Koga..." the youngster began to protest before inhaling sharply in fear under the angry glare sent his way. Bowing quickly, he nodded, "Of course. Of course. Anything you say."

"Lady Ayame will lead you. Follow her orders and you might survive," Koga sighed before waving his hand dismissively, " _Don't_ disappoint me."

As the youngster beelined for the wall with his comrades in tow, Ayame approached with a soft sigh and lay a comforting hand on her mate's shoulder, "I understand why you need to watch. Why you didn't go after our son. In a battle...sometimes it's better not to know who fell until it's all over but I don't believe Ginta would try to kill himself. He's stronger than..."

"We lost everything. So many wolves. Friends. Allies. Our lands and titles. Everything," Koga murmured quietly - his eyes never leaving the battle before him as he continued - his hand reaching up to intertwine his fingers with his mate's, "I need to make sure she can be brought back. For him. If he...if he...well, I need..."

"I know," Ayame sighed as she squeezed lightly, "But if the fortress falls, you _need_ to focus on surviving. People die in battle all the time as you well know. Don't let this distract you. A distraction can be..."

"You'll be careful?" Koga interrupted quietly as he glanced over his shoulder and sighed shakily, "No unnecessary risks. If the battle is lost, I want you to run. Run as far and fast as you can, understand? Don't look for me."

"Koga..." Ayame sighed heavily as she gave him a look that clearly said she thought that request was both condescending and absurd, "I'm not going to just..."

"Promise me you'll run," Koga interrupted a little harsher than he intended, "Promise me."

"I...I promise," Ayame muttered sadly before she moved and leaned forward to press a chaste kiss on his lips which he eagerly returned. It almost felt like he was saying goodbye.

"The same goes for you," she murmured sadly as she pulled away, "No unnecessary risks. Run if you must. Don't look for me."

"I can't promise that," Koga chuckled darkly as he gave her a bittersweet smile and kissed her once more, "I can't abandon my men...or you."

Laughing softly, Ayame nodded as if she knew he'd say that - her hand reaching up to cup his cheek as she muttered softly "No matter what happens, I will find you. I will _always_ find you. Whether in this life _or_ the next."

The knowing look she gave him had his eyes widening incrementally in surprise and he searched her face for a moment before seeing the answer he sought. She knew. She had always known.

"In this life or the next," he repeated with no lack of awe as he gave her a sad little smile and leaned into her touch - missing the warmth the moment she turned to leave. Sighing, he turned his attention back to the battle and frowned. Imprinting was such a strange beast. It seemed only yesterday he'd seen Ayame in the marketplace - a single flower in her hair as she arranged her goods at her little booth. A merchants daughter of high enough status for them to mate without raising suspicion or needing to give an explanation. He'd never told her he imprinted on her. Never. Not even after learning Ginta had the same affliction. Still, Ayame knew. Even if she never said it. She knew. She was so much more observant than he ever was. It did run in families after all. Koga honestly didn't know why he was surprised. In any case, he owed it to his son to protect his beloved. Whether Ginta was alive to see it or not.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ginta staggered back - arrow clasped in hand - as he stared down at his chest - a jagged white bone protruding where a rib had most unfortunately been wrenched free as he had dislodged the arrow. It should've killed him. He'd seen the pink light that signaled the use of spiritual power. He'd seen...

Crumpling to his knees, he glared hatefully as the miko nocked another arrow and aimed.

"Go ahead! Kill me already!" Ginta bellowed hoarsely as blood bubbled in the corner of his mouth as his vision blurred, " ** _Do it._** "

The general and the rest of his army seemed just as confused by this turn of events - if not more so. The arrow had hit true - in the middle of the demon's chest - so why...

"I don't want to kill you," the miko called back - her arrow still at the ready, "Surrender and I'll let you live."

"You don't have the power to kill me," Ginta spat back hatefully as his head lolled sickeningly to the side and he gripped the wound on his chest, "Some miko you are."

"I wasn't _attempting_ to kill you," the miko responded in a cool tone - just loud enough to be heard, "But don't worry. It'll be over soon enough."

Even as Ginta opened his mouth to retort, the light behind his eyes went out and he crumpled to the ground in a pool of his own blood.

"Is he dead?" a young soldier whispered in a frightened tone, "Wha-"

"Not dead. Just paralyzed," the miko sighed as she cast the general a guilty look, "He was a danger to himself. He'll sleep for a day or two. If he hadn't ripped out that arrow, he would've been fine. It would've disintegrated on its own but he's strong. Much stronger than I thought."

"Quick thinking," the general acknowledged as he clapped her on the shoulder and began moving closer to the unconscious wolf, "We need to..."

" _ **GINTA**_!" a female voice suddenly cried out desperately from the treeline as several entirely too young looking demons emerged from the tree line - looking a mixture of horrified and entirely pissed off, " _ **YOU KILLED**_..."

"He's not dead yet dumbass," another of the youngsters snapped as he stepped forward - clearly older than the others but at that awkward pre-teen age where he hadn't grown into his body - trying and failing to shield the smaller demons with his arms outstretched, "Don't antagonize the humans. Just grab Ginta and let's go."

"They _still_ attacked him," the small female hissed angrily as she narrowed her crimson eyes, "You're seriously going to let that go unchallenged!"

"We're going to do whatever it takes to survive. We're outnumbered," the elder demon clipped back before turning his attention back to the humans and calling out, " _ **We have no wish to fight you! Let us collect our friend and leave in peace!"**_

"He's wounded. Let us tend to his injuries," the general called back as he held his hands up in surrender, "As you wish to avoid bloodshed so do we. Your friend attac-"

"We don't care what he did," another one of the youngsters called out exasperatedly, "We've got bigger problems right now so stand down and let us be on our way!"

"Have they attacked?" another soldier called out in a slightly frightened tone, "The dead. Have they attacked?"

Blinking stupidly, the handful of half-demons exchanged surprised glances before the eldest swallowed thickly and asked in a suspicious tone, "Why do you want to know?"

"We came to help. To fight for the living," the general supplied - his hands still held up as he took a tentative step forward and added in a slightly wavering tone, "Would...would any of you know if the one called Ai has fallen? She'd be around your..."

"What the fuck do you want with her?!" a crimson haired half-demon barked angrily as he took a subtle step to shield the very girl the general mentioned from view. For a moment there was a tense silence as both human and demon waited with confused yet baited breath.

"I'm...I'm her uncle," the general finally responded with a soft sigh, "I only joined the resistance to find my family. To bring them home."

" _ **Bullshit**_ ," the eldest half-demon spat as he eyed the General with disgust evident on his features, "I know you. You're the general of the whole damn human army. You were there when they tortured..."

"That wasn't my doing. I had ordered the release of all prisoners and my advisors had other ideas. They've been punished accordingly," the general replied defensively as the whispers behind him accelerated tenfold amidst several outraged gasps.

"Oh yeah?! Punished how?!" a small brilliantly yellow haired girl chuckled with obvious bite - ignoring the humans' unease and anger in favor of getting her own answers, "Did they get a slap on the..."

"They're dead. I dispatched them myself," the general interrupted coldly before huffing once in frustration - shock registering on all his soldiers as he continued, "Now tell me true. Is Ai still alive or not?"

The small horde exchanged nervous glances before the subject of the entire conversation took a small step forward before pausing and glancing at her comrades. Their eyes had immediately snapped to her when she moved and she gave them a sad smile before moving a little further into the clearing with her hands up in surrender - the humans immediately quieting at the action as they watched with disbelieving and anxious eyes.

"If you are who you say," she called out in a trembling voice, "What do you want with her?"

"I didn't know she existed until recently," the General explained with a weary sigh - his army transitioning from shock to something more akin to people intrigued by a soap opera drama with popcorn at the ready, "My daughter...my daughter had been taken as well. I initially joined to find _her_ and along the way, discovered my sister had had a child. A child that still lived in the palace. My daughter died but...but I had hoped to save the only family..."

"So you killed _all_ those people. Murdered so many of my friends to _save_ me? Why the _hell_..."Ai scoffed as the General's eyes widened incrementally and he let out a choked gasp of relief - the rest of her angry speech falling on deaf ears as he began walking, then running forward with his hand outstretched. The young girl quickly scrambled backwards as her eyes widened in alarm. It was not only the half-demons that moved to stop him but several of the humans as well. It was so sudden, so bizarre that everything in the clearing erupted in chaos. Chaos the general ignored in favor of reaching his goal.

"You're alive," he choked in relief as he came within a stones throw and stopped - a shuddering sigh escaping his lips as he searched the girl's face and smiled sadly, "You look _so_ much like her."

A moment later, the general found himself plummeting to the ground.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Kohaku, we have to move," Sota muttered anxiously as he glanced once more at the battle raging above them before looking at the battle in the courtyard, "It isn't..."

"You think we should move?" Kohaku asked in a soft innocent voice before adding quickly with a slightly manic laugh, "You're lucky I like you because you're _way_ crazier than me."

"It's not crazy to avoid being at the bottom of stairs when dead people are swarming the fortress," Sota hissed exasperatedly as he rolled his eyes and gestured at his sister, "We need to go somewhere more protected."

"Nope," Kohaku cooed as he tightened his vice grip on the unconscious miko and grinned, "They've found her. Should be a good battle. Wanna watch?"

"I can't see what's going on in that head of..." Sota began tersely before the world shimmered around him and he found himself in a strange village that looked eerily familiar.

"It's _home_ ," Sota breathed in mild awe before letting out a shuddering breath and furrowing his brow, "This can't..."

"It's not real. _Obviously_ ," Kohaku's patient sounding voice came followed by yet another manic giggle, "And they say I'm nuts. Shows what they know."

"How are you doing this?" Sota asked in mild wonder before smacking himself mentally upside the head. An illusion. Of course. In all the craziness of the day, he'd completely forgotten who he was dealing with. Baku created illusions and ate dreams. Kohaku probably just used a dream of home to create...

"This is where the voices went," Kohaku hummed happily before adding almost as an afterthought, "Do you know it?"

"Yeah," Sota answered uneasily as he glanced around for these 'voices' before his gaze fell on someone who looked rather familiar. Not in a generic way but more like...

"Is that the Sesshomaru guy?" Sota murmured anxiously as he furrowed his brow, "Why is he here?"

"Oh thats not Sesshomaru. I call him General. He told me his real name once but I forgot. Kind of an asshole if you ask me but he's the one who told me to grab Kagome," Kohaku hummed as he cast a big shit grin at the young boy before pointing a little ways away, "And Lady is over there. Mother and Father are way on the other side. And...and I think Baby is, um...I'm not sure where Baby is."

"And these are the voices," Sota murmured sadly as what had been said at the council meeting came back to him, "You really must have been suffering all this time."

"I don't know about _suffering_. That's a bit harsh," Kohaku snorted as his form stepped a few paces to the left and stretched his arms above his head, "I don't suffer from insanity. There are times I really enjoy it. They're good company most of the time."

"You know what they look like though. Have you seen them before?" Sota asked curiously as he glanced at the boy out of the corner of his eye before turning his attention back to the silver haired man holding his sword at the ready.

"Some ghost chick tried to grab Rin. They stopped her," the young baku answered dismissively, "They're not _real_ , you know. None of them. Not the ghost lady. Not the General or Lady or even Mother and Father. It's all in my head. Sango said that..."

"They are though. How else would they be here now? You've seen them. Don't you _understand_?" Sota asked in a tight voice before he sighed heavily and scratched the back of his neck, "Kohaku, I..."

A loud explosion and the sound of breaking wood drew their attention to the center of the village to their right just as a second, more powerful sounding one emanated from direction of the silver haired man. As Sota looked back, he saw the world around them begin to shimmer - the huts, the cliffs, the sea...everything vanishing leaving hundreds of menancing looking figures behind.

"Now see _them_ I don't know," Kohaku hummed nonchalantly - completely unphased by the world disappearing around them as he cocked his head to the side and hummed once more, "Must be new."


End file.
